I'm holding on for you
by batzmary
Summary: He knew that from the first moment he saw that clumsy girl at the flower shop, his world would make a 180 degrees turn. Why couldn't he push her away like he did with everyone else? Why was she so different? Why did she suddenly make him feel... nervous?
1. Prologue

I'm holding on for you

_Prologue_

**Hey guys! Guess what? My finals are over! YAY! *celebration trumpets* Do you know what that means? New story, summer and the end of my junior year. Now, don't expect me to update constantly because I've still got Tae Kwon Do class and Theatre class… I'll be kind of busy, but I promise to try my best to update. **

**I hope you like the story, I'm excited about it and I hope that it works out; tell me what you think!**

**Please Read, Enjoy and Review!**

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><p>His story isn't so different from many others…<p>

In some ways… it is, though.

_Life's too short to wake up with regrets_. He once read that phrase somewhere. He scoffed when he did; like if it was that easy to do so.

His life was never as easy as everyone thought when they saw the big house he lived in; he wasn't exactly a rich person, but his economic state wasn't so bad. But of course, he wished he had something that his dad's money would never buy back -his mother's life.

He had to learn how to be independent, how to solve his own problems without having that one person you can turn to when you're lost. He learned how to _survive_…on his own.

He doesn't cry anymore.

And he learned to trust no one… but himself.

…

…that changed when he met her.

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><p>"<em>Mom!" his own high-pitched scream penetrated his ears as the tears flowed down his cheeks in horror. <em>

His eyes shot open as a slight cover of sweat pearled his forehead; his accelerated breaths matched the rhythm of his pounding heart and the annoying beeping of his alarm clock on his bedside table.

He cursed himself under his breath as he closed his eyes again. _Not again_. He groaned and rubbed his face with his right hand._ That fucking dream again!_

He sighed as he looked over to his left and slammed his hand over the noisy device, making it go silent. He rubbed his face one more time before he sat up straight, the silky sheets slipping off and revealing his muscular and well defined torso.

He stretched his arms lazily above his head and then relaxed, looking around his messy room before throwing the covers off of him and standing up.

He searched for his jeans around the floor of his bedroom and when he found them, he slipped them up, not minding on changing into a new pair of boxers first. He walked over to his closet and opened the first drawer, pulling out one of the many black and plain t-shirts he had in there. He slipped it on and then walked over to the bathroom.

He looked at himself in the mirror; his blue eyes scanning him from top to bottom; he just found that same boring boy from every morning. He opened the water tap and cupped some water between his hands, splashing it on his face a couple of times, afterwards.

He dried his face with a towel and then combed his hair with his fingers, pushing it backwards and letting it settle in its messy and natural way.

He sighed and walked out of his bathroom and then out of his room, running down the stairs of the third floor and into the kitchen.

It didn't surprise him that his father wasn't there; he must've gone to work already. Huh… this morning he didn't even say goodbye, not that Troy cared.

He walked over to the fridge and opened it, taking out the only bottle of milk left and a box of cereal from the cupboard. He served his plain breakfast and took a spoon and an apple. He sat down and began chewing his Cheerios.

Suddenly a newspaper slammed in front of him and he looked up, a little startled to find his dad glaring down at him. Troy relaxed his face and arched an eyebrow at him.

"May I help you?" he asked with a monotone voice and shoved another spoonful of cereal into his mouth. Looks like he got it wrong –Jack Bolton's still at home. Weird.

"The principal called me last night to my work" his father answered somewhat angry.

"So?"

"_So?_" he imitated him childishly "Why have you been getting late to class and talking back to the teachers?"

Troy smirked up at his dad "Because it's fun…"

"It's no fun if they have to be disturbing me at work!" he complained. Oh! Now he gets it.

Troy rolled his eyes "Of course..." he bit his apple "And what are you going to do? Ground me?" he mocked as he stood up and placed his cereal bowl into the sink.

"I should…" Jack growled.

Troy chuckled "Well, good-luck with that" he grabbed his blue hoody, lying on the chair next to him and slipped it on "See ya…someday" he faked a smile at Jack and walked past him.

"TROY BOLTON! GET BACK IN HERE!"

"Tomorrow!" he yelled back and grabbed his car keys and his almost empty backpack.

He was a good student, his only problem was the teachers; apparently they're a bunch of useless douche bags and he could give a better class than them. He got 4 detentions last week for talking back to the math, physics, history and biology-lab teachers; he found it funny when Mr. Fritch –the history teacher- got red with anger as he yelled at him… it got worse when Troy began laughing at him; his classmates couldn't understand where he got the guts to challenge Fritch.

Troy parked his car in front of a building that wasn't exactly school and got out; placing his hoody over his head as he noticed that it began drizzling.

It was the only flower shop open this early.

Once he got in, he heard a little bell chime on top of him and he closed the door behind him. He sighed as he looked around and pushed his hoody down, making his way over to the counter and tapping the bell in front of him, since he didn't see a soul in there.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" a voice announced "Just a second!"

A girl with a red apron rushed in, struggling with two huge flower arrangements in her tanned arms, hiding her face. Troy wondered if she could see where she was going.

Troy raised an eyebrow and blinked as he stared at the clumsy girl "Uhm… yeah… uhm, take your time…"

"Thanks! Just let me place these two big boys over –Ah!" And down she went as she slipped with an invisible puddle of the recently watered plants, landing flat on her back.

Troy's eyes went wide "Oh shit!" he said under his breath as a bunch of leafs and red petals of the roses floated around and the white baskets collided against the girl's tiny body; she was smart to cover her face with her arms. Troy sped around the counter and was quick to get to the girl on the floor "Are you alright?" he asked, helping her sit up.

"Ow…" she answered as she rubbed the back of her head "No…" she fluttered her eyes open and she groaned as she saw the flowers and pieces of green sponge lying all over the floor "Savannah's going to kill me!"

Troy couldn't help but chuckle at her "You could've broken something and you're minding about some flowers?"

She groaned again "She's going to charge me for them"

Troy sighed and grabbed the girl's arm, helping her stand up "Probably… but it's better than getting fired…" he tried to joke.

The girl turned her head to look at him and he let go of her arm "She better not fire me! I just got this job yesterday!"

"Ah!" Troy nodded "You're new…"

She nodded and sighed "Yeah! I hope to keep it that way." She brushed some hair out of her face and looked up to him again, turning her body completely to face him; for some unknown reason she blushed "Uhm… thanks for helping me…"

"No problem" he nodded his head and stared back at her.

… Maybe it was his imagination, but he could swear he felt his heart skip a beat as his cerulean eyes met her brown ones. He didn't know why, but suddenly… he felt nervous.

Troy cleared his throat as he looked away; he started to feel hot on his cheeks "So uhm… I wonder if you could help me out…"

The girl blinked "Oh!" she nodded and smiled "Sure! What kind of flowers are you looking for?" she motioned him with her hand to please get back to the front of the counter.

He followed her instructions and leaned against the bar "Well… I'm looking for red tulips, but… I didn't see any when I got in…" he frowned lightly as she straightened up her apron and lifted her hair up in a hairclip.

The brown eyed girl twisted her mouth to a side "Yeah, I'm sorry… we ran out of those…"

Troy's frown grew deeper "Are you sure?" he almost groaned in disappointment.

She nodded "I'm sorry… uhm… but maybe I can help you to pick out something else!" she offered "What does your special girl like?" she grinned.

Troy shrugged "I'm not sure…"

She nodded, frowning a little "Well… okay. Red Tulips" she said to herself as she went around the counter too and motioned Troy to follow her "She's probably a little sophisticated, kind… girly" she turned to smile at Troy as he followed her with a curious look in his eyes "But… for the red, I'd say she's a little wild" she turned back around and stopped in front of one of the shelves. She pulled out a white flower with an orange center "This is called Liriodendron" she said, handing him the flower "Very rare and hard to find, but… it's kind of a tulip and it's gorgeous"

Troy took it between his fingers and stared at it kind of awed. The flower was really pretty… the brown eyed girl isn't stupid.

"I'm almost 100% sure she'll like them" she grinned in satisfaction at Troy's expression. She knew she did well.

Troy looked up at her with a slight smile "I'll take a dozen…"

"Great!" the girl clapped her hands and took eleven of the best looking flowers that were in the vase. She took the flower from Troy's hand and motioned him with her head to follow her again "Alright! Please come with me!"

Troy chuckled lightly as he followed her; her white shirt and jeans were wet of the puddle she slipped on. The apron didn't cover that!

She placed the flowers on top of a silvered paper and a transparent one, clueless to Troy's slight mocking grin. She rolled the flowers carefully and then she tied them up with an orange ribbon. She handed the bouquet over to Troy and walked back behind of the counter.

Typing a few keys, she smiled up at him "It will be 20 dollars, please"

Troy nodded his head and pulled out his wallet, taking out a 20 and placing it on the counter. The girl took it and typed a few more things, a ding came out of the cashier and she placed the money inside. She closed it and ripped out the ticket.

"Here you go!" she handed him the ticket and a small chocolate. Troy raised an eyebrow at that. "What?"

"Since when do you guys give us chocolates?" he asked, looking at her funny.

She shrugged "Since today…"

Troy chuckled and nodded, placing the piece of sweet treat inside his pocket "Alright! Well… thanks a lot…" he looked to her uniform "Marissa" he read.

"What?" she blinked and looked down to her uniform "Shoot! I picked the wrong one!" she groaned and began undoing the strings of the apron "This is not my day!" she sighed.

Troy stared at her sympathetically and shook his head lightly; this girl is a total mess "If it helps… you'll have worse…"

She looked up at him and glared "Thank you! That's really sweet!" she said sarcastically and he chuckled.

"See you later Flower Girl" he turned around and began making his way to the front door.

"It's Gabriella!" she yelled back at him and he smirked lightly to himself, opening the front door and turning back around to look at her.

"See you later, Gabriella" he repeated and then closed the door, making his way back to his car.

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><p>Troy crouched down on his knees "Hey mom…" he greeted softly, picking up the old bouquet of red tulips in the vase and throwing them to a side; he replaced them with the new bouquet "They ran out of tulips… but I hope you like these…" he smiled lightly "A new employee of your favorite flower shop, helped me pick them up for you…" he placed his hand on top of the cold stone of her grave "She said… that it's called….Lirio-crap-something" he chuckled "It sounded better when she said it, really!" he looked down to his feet and then back up at the grave; his smile fell "Today's your birthday… you know? And he didn't even remember" he murmured, frowning angrily "How could he not remember?" he chuckled bitterly "You were his wife!" he shook his head "I know he's my father… but he's a dick, mom!"<p>

He closed his eyes tightly "I know… that you would want me… to try and make our relationship work… but how can I, when he doesn't even give a shit that I exist? He would rather have me dead as well and not having to deal with me" he opened them again "He… he stopped being my dad the day you left us…" he told her "I know, I know, I've told you this a thousand times but…" he sighed "You're… the only one who always seems to listen…" he chuckled to himself "And you're dead!" he bit his lips together "And… next month… will be 10 years, mom. Ten years since…I killed you…" he murmured the last part and sat down on the grass, his back leaning against the stone, not saying anything else.

He leaned his head against his mother's grave, looking for some kind of comfort he didn't seem to find in anybody else around him. He missed her a lot … even if his eyes didn't show it; they were open, dry; nowhere near tears. But it wasn't like he didn't want to cry for her… it wasn't like that.

The last time he cried was in this same place…

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><p><em>He held to his father's hand in dear life as he looked down to his mother's grave. His eyes were already red and puffy for the hours and hours of crying. <em>

_Jack and Troy Bolton were the lasts ones there after the burial. Jack seemed to be deep in thoughts as Troy sniffled and wiped his tears away with the back of his free hand, wanting his mom to be there more than ever. He couldn't believe that she was dead, she was his mom! She was supposed to be stronger than anyone else in the whole world! She couldn't die! Moms are supposed to stay with you forever, right? They're like super heroes! Then why wasn't she there? Why isn't she carrying him in her arms and comforting him? Telling him that everything would get fixed and kiss his forehead._

_One moment she's laughing at him and Chad trying to play basketball… and the next… she's lying in the middle of the road, her head bleeding and her face paling with each passing second._

"_Mommy" he choked again and sniffled. The world for this 7 year old seemed to come to an end; how could he live without his mom? "Mommy…"_

"_Troy, stop it" His father whispered._

_But he wouldn't. He shook his head "I want mommy…"_

"_Troy…" Jack sighed "Stop it. Mom's no longer here…"_

"_But I want her!" he cried "She's my mom!"_

"_Troy!" Jack looked down at him "Please!"_

"_But dad!" Troy whimpered._

_Jack crouched down on his knees so he was at an eye level with Troy "Son, listen to me! Mom's gone! She's not coming back" he shook his head, his voice cracking slightly._

_But he refused to believe it "No dad! She promised! She promised she would always be there for me! She'll come back!" he cried, stomping his foot on the grass._

"_Troy!" he grabbed him by his little arms "No" he shook his head "You have to be brave…and face the truth. Your mom is gone! Mom's gone and she won't be back! She can't come back!" _

_Troy shook his head "She promised!"_

"_I know! But sometimes… mommies can't always keep their promises…"_

"_But she will! I know it!" he insisted._

_Jack sighed. He couldn't deal with this right now. He stood up and grabbed Troy's little hand in his "Let's go home Troy…"_

_He shook his head "No!" he cried "We can't leave her!" _

"_Troy…" Jack tried pulling him "She'll be fine… she's fine where she is right now!"_

"_No!" he screamed "NO! NO! NO!"_

"_TROY!" he yelled at him "Let's go!" _

_Troy sat down on the grass and Jack turned to look at him; that was it for his patience._

"_Troy… I'll give you three to stand up…" he warned him._

_Another tear escaped Troy's eyes "I can't leave my mom. She needs me!"_

_Jack pulled on Troy's hands and pulled him up. Troy was about to argue when a hand collided with his cheek and he looked up shocked. He placed his little hand on top of it; his dad had never hit him before._

"_Stop it!" Jack yelled on his face "Be a man! Men don't cry!" he hissed at him "You killed her, Troy! You!"_

_Troy let more tears fall "That's not t-true!" he hiccupped and sniffled, shaking his head._

"_Yes you did! You and your stupid little friend, Chad with your stupid ball!" he growled "You don't get to cry over her! You killed her! You… don't get… to cry over her! NOW LET'S GO!" he grabbed his hand again and pulled him with him, making Troy almost stumble over._

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><p>Troy shook his head to stop the horrible memory from continuing. He knew that his father was right in that; it was the only thing he's ever agreed with him… he couldn't cry over his mom, why would he? It was his fault she was dead…<p>

But that didn't make it any less painful and… it didn't make him miss her any less.

Troy sighed and lifted his watch up to his face. His eyes widened lightly. 8:05 am.

"Shit!" he hissed and stood up. Late again…

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><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Hey Guys! Sooo… what did ya think? Did you like it? Should I continue? I like it :) **

**Please leave a review behind! I promise I'll write the next chapter as soon as possible, of course if you review…**

**Sorry for grammar and spelling mistakes.**

**Xoxo Mary.**


	2. Push her away

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter One_

**Hello! :) How are you my dearest readers? *grins* I'm good, thank you! xD Thank you so much for your reviews! You made my day! (Even if they weren't many) :D Soo… as promised, here's next chapter! Hope you like it!**

**Sorry for the wait! I was reading **_The Host_ **by Stephenie Meyer. The **_**best**_** book I've ever read! Maybe not… but I so damn loved it! Definitely my favorite book! :) I highly recommend it! **

**Please Read, Enjoy and Review.**

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><p>Troy parked in the school's parking lot, not longer in the hurry he was before; he was already late anyway, so why worry?<p>

He got out of his car and locked the doors before activating the alarm. Readjusting his backpack over his shoulder, he walked over to the building calmly. He checked his watch before entering- 8:25 am. Mrs. Darbus is going to murder him.

The hallways were empty as he walked calmly over to his Homeroom. Everywhere you looked, was all red, white and gold. Red used to be his favorite color; that changed when he entered East High and got sick of looking at it every day, covering lockers, some walls, flags and uniforms. He now prefers black and blue… like his clothes today. Let's say that he likes to take the contrary of everyone and everything else, but without standing out; he hates being the center of attention.

He sighed as he began hearing Mrs. Darbus' voice lecturing the class 10 feet away from the door; her voice would get _louder_ once she saw him.

Troy took a deep breath and leaned against the doorway. He waited till the hippie dressed woman with bottle-bottom glasses noticed him.

"And then-"she turned to the door, glaring the handsome teenage boy once she noticed his presence "Mr. Bolton! Late again? It's the third time this week and it's barely Wednesday" she scolded, placing her hands over her hips.

"I'm sorry Mrs. D" Troy mumbled "Won't happen again…"

"You say that each time and you continue being late!" she narrowed her eyes at him, causing small wrinkles at the sides of her eyes and making her look older than she really was.

Troy rolled his blue orbs "Can I just have my detention already, so I can sit down, please?" he asked, crossing his arms. The class laughed.

Mrs. Darbus scoffed "Of course you're getting a detention! Next time it will be a suspension! Sit down, Bolton!" She pointed towards his seat at the front and he rolled his eyes one more time before pushing himself off of the doorway and taking his seat. Mrs. Darbus scribbled something down on her desk and then ripped a pink paper slip; she walked over to Troy and slammed it over his desk. Troy smirked at her and she glared back at him; that kid was getting into her nerves.

The teacher cleared her throat "Silence class!" she scolded before continuing "And as I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted by Mr. Bolton, William Shakespeare wanted to show more than just an impossible romance in Romeo and Juliet! For example! In his magnificent work Hamlet he…"

Troy sighed and took out one of the two notebooks he had in his backpack and opened it up, doodling whatever came to mind; he wasn't in the mood to hear about what he already knows. He read _Hamlet_ and _Romeo and Juliet_ when he was in 7th grade and that because he didn't have anything else to do one summer. He didn't like reading, but sometimes it was his only way to keep himself entertained. One summer he read a total of 12 books when his dad forgot to pay for the internet and he couldn't find anything interesting on TV, and he wasn't exactly a very social kid.

Suddenly he looked up as Mrs. Darbus was interrupted once again by a heavy pant coming from the door. His eyes widened and he felt the air hitch in his throat as he recognized the clumsy girl from the flower shop, the same girl that had made his heart race for an unknown reason. She was holding onto one of the sides of the door as she held her chest with her free hand.

"I'm… so… so…sorry that I'm… late" she apologized as she came in without waiting for any permission. She walked over to Mrs. Darbus -who was staring at her weirdly- and handed her a piece of wrinkled paper after taking it out of the back pocket of her black jeans "My new boss asked me to open the store for her and she promised she would get there before school began, but she came in late and that's why I'm late and I promise it won't happen again! I know I'm not giving out a very good first impression on my first day here but I'll try to-"

"Ms. Montez!" Mrs. Darbus interrupted her nervous rant after reading her name in the wrinkled paper "Don't worry about it, I usually forgive my students on their first time they're late…" she gave her a reassuring smile "Just don't try to make a habit out of it like Mr. Bolton here!" she motioned towards him with her chin and Troy rolled his eyes at her accusation. Gabriella turned towards him and she felt how her eyes went wide in surprise as she recognized the handsome blue eyed teen that had helped her today in the flower shop.

When their eyes met, Gabriella's cheeks tainted with a slight shade of pink while Troy scratched his forehead nervously and looked away from her; Mrs. Darbus arched an eyebrow suspiciously as the teens' reaction towards each other. She had a feeling that they had met before.

"Anyway!" she smiled at the brunette "You can take a seat on the desk behind him; Mr. Cross won't mind you taking his place since he moved to San Francisco" she tried to joke.

The beautiful girl nodded and faked a smile towards her "Thank you" she blushed harder as she walked past Troy, lowering her head and sitting behind him.

Troy froze. Right! Mrs. Darbus is mad at him, so she decides to torture him with the brown eyed clumsy girl that had obviously caught his attention at the store. He cursed under his breath; why did it cause him so much trouble to have her sitting behind him? It's not like he was attracted to her or anything… right?

…Right?

Gabriella stared at the back of his head as it lowered to keep doodling on his notebook. Mrs. Darbus began talking again, but the brunette was too busy running her eyes up from the boy's messy hair down to his well defined shoulders and back. She had to admit that she was kind of excited to find him there; she didn't know anyone at this school and she found it comforting to see a familiar face, especially when it's the cute boy that had helped her up when she stupidly fell in front of him.

_Oh Gabriella, stop it!_ She scolded herself. _He obviously has a girlfriend! Why would he buy flowers if he didn't?_

"Ms. Montez?" The teacher's voice brought her back to the real world and she looked up at her, blinking confused "I forgot to ask you before we continued with the subject; would you like me to assign someone to show you around the school next period?"

Gabriella took a couple of seconds before nodding her head quickly "S-sure! If there's no problem!" she said shyly.

Her slightly high voice was so near his ear that it caused the hair of his nape to stand up in nervousness. Why did her voice sound so… nice…to him?

"Of course there isn't any problem" she smiled at her and looked over to a dark skinned girl with a kind look "Ms. Mckessie, would you mind giving Ms. Montez a tour around the school?"

"Sure Mrs. D, I'd love to" The smart girl answered a little too enthusiastic as Gabriella turned to look at her. The brunette's heart sunk a little; she was hoping that the teacher would pick the blue eyed boy to show her around the school. She sighed and sent the girl a small smile before turning back around and frowning disappointed.

She glued her eyes to the back of the boy's neck. She had to talk to him again.

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><p>Troy walked calmly down the empty hallways, whistling to himself as he passed by the classrooms. He wasn't in the mood for History class; he knows everything that has to be known about American History and Universal History… he even knew some of the Mexican and the rest of the Latin-American history… so he found Mr. Fritch's class very boring; there wasn't anything else he could learn from him.<p>

He was on his way to the library, since he couldn't find anything else better to do and he began getting bored by just walking around the empty hallways of the school.

Once he pushed the door open, he instantly heard an annoyed sigh coming from the main desk. He turned towards the blonde and skinny woman, who was behind the desk, accommodating some books to return them to their shelves, and he gave her a wink. She glared at him and then scoffed, slamming a book shut; the librarian wasn't very fond of him… just like the other teachers.

He walked over to her with a teasing smile tugging on the sides of his lips and he leaned over the desk.

"Hey Maggie, how are you?" he asked in a mocking tone.

The green eyed and young woman narrowed her eyes at him "It is Ms. Hofstadter to you, Mr. Bolton!" she said, opening the next book and inserting a white card in the little paper pocket at the back of the book.

Troy chuckled "Oh come on, Maggie! Just admit that you like me, already" he winked at her again and she rolled her eyes "We can go out and no one will have to know" he joked with a smile.

Maggie scoffed again "Sorry, I'm not into 17 year olds…"

"But if I were older, you would go out with me?" he smirked teasingly. It's not like he was a player or anything, but he was a flirt… especially with the young 25 year old teachers and helpers of the school. He did it jokingly, but apparently _they_ didn't find it funny at all.

The blonde woman closed the book and kept on glaring at him "Let me rephrase that: I'm not into _cocky_ and idiotic boys…"she smirked back at him and Troy laughed while nodding.

"Ah! You should be clearer then" his mocking smile turned into a kind one "Do you need any help with your books?" he questioned.

Maggie rolled her eyes "Well, since I'm _sure_ this isn't your free period, then maybe you should become helpful" she faked a smile "You can begin with this cart. Corridor B" she pointed towards the hall with her perfect manicured finger and Troy turned his head to look at it before smirking back at her.

"As you wish, my lady" he winked and the librarian rolled her eyes while shaking her head in disbelief. She knew he was a good kid, but she couldn't help but feel annoyed at him and his flirty attitude.

Troy took the gray cart that was next to the desk and rolled it over to the second hall from left to right. He sighed as he took the first book and checked the label on the spine. He looked up to the rows of books and searched for its right place.

He was getting done with the third cart in Corridor F, when he heard a pair of voices whispering as they entered the library. He stopped what he was doing and popped his head around the corner of the bookshelf when he recognized them. His eyes went wide when he saw Taylor and Gabriella walking through the door.

_Are you freaking kidding me?_ He thought bitterly as his jaw clenched. He knew Taylor was giving her a tour, but… knowing her book-worm-self, he thought that the library would be the first place she would show her and that they would be far over it by now.

His eyes roamed the curves of the beautiful brunette as she looked awed around the area. He felt his heart race when his eyes posed on the small glimpse of skin that was showed between her gray long sleeved t-shirt and her black jeans. He was a guy and he had hormones! He couldn't help but stare!

"This is the library" Taylor whispered as she made an overdramatic gesture with her hand to show her the library.

"Holy Cow!" Gabriella exclaimed in the same tone of voice "Taylor, this is bigger than my old school!" Unlike Troy, Gabriella was a big fan of books; she never got enough of lecture, and when she entered the enormous library with shelves and more shelves of books, she felt like she was in heaven; she wondered how many books they had there…

The dark skinned girl giggled silently and they began walking towards the main desk, where the librarian was still registering the books and placing them in the gray carts for Troy to accommodate back into their right place in the shelves.

"Hey Maggie!" Taylor grinned down to the librarian.

Maggie smiled up to the girls "Hello Taylor! Nice of you to come by! Who's your friend?" she asked, noticing the girl with black curly hair next to her.

"This is Gabriella Montez, she's new here…" she smiled "Gabs, this is Ms. Hofstadter, the librarian!"

Gabriella took out her small hand and shook the librarian's "Nice to meet you!" she smiled politely at her.

"Nice to meet you too, Gabriella!" she grinned "And you can call me Maggie, Ms. Hofstadter makes me feel like my mom" she laughed at her own joke and Gabriella only smiled.

"You know? That's favoritism!" they heard a masculine voice say behind them and both Gabriella and Taylor turned around.

Gabriella blushed once again as her eyes met Troy's; looks like it's going to become a habit of her to do that when she meets him. Troy's hands were now sweating as he gripped the cart tightly with his hands.

"_They_ are allowed to call you Maggie, but I'm not?" Troy faked a glare at the blonde once he snapped his attention away from the brunette's face and he pushed the empty gray cart next to the desk "I mean, _I'm_ the one helping you get the books back to their place and yet you treat me like crap!"

Maggie scoffed "Then maybe you should stop acting like an idiot, Troy. Now stop complaining and get another cart moving before I send you to the principal's office for skipping class!"

Troy imitated her scoff "Like that scares me…" he said sarcastically as he took another cart "Maybe you should pay me with a nice date, since I'm doing an excellent job" he smirked jokingly and Maggie rolled her eyes.

"Want me to call your dad again?" she threatened.

"Tell him I said hi!" he laughed, not giving it too much importance, and began pushing the cart to the next hall, leaving the three girls to stare after him.

Gabriella frowned a little while biting her lower lip in confusion. Why didn't he even acknowledge her? He stared right at her and he didn't even say hi. Did he want _her_ to say hi first or something?

"I swear that boy gets into my nerves each time he tries to flirt with me" Maggie mumbled and both of the girls turned their attention to her.

"He does that often?" Gabriella asked curiously. Maybe she could get an idea of what to expect from him. Maybe he's different from the way she thought. But of course! What could she probably know when she barely met him this morning and barely exchanged a few words with him? But somehow she felt that he wasn't bad.

"Every time he gets the chance. He's flirty and annoying and cocky" she rolled her eyes "For being really helpful at times, he can be a pain in the ass! No student has ever annoyed as much as he has! He's such a… an idiot!"

"More like a jerk, I'd say!" Taylor said bitterly "I once tried to talk to him and he was so rude to me! He literally told me to _fuck off_! I don't get why he's got almost every girl in this school drooling over him" she shook her head in disbelief.

Gabriella pursed her lips thoughtfully as she heard the comments about the kind boy that had helped her get up when she slipped on a puddle that morning. She didn't understand why she found it so hard to believe that he was a jerk; he didn't look like one. But of course –never judge anyone for their appearance.

While the two girls kept on saying rude comments about Troy –which Gabriella found kind of lame, considering that it was a _teacher_ and a student talking about it and not two students- she turned around slowly and directed her gaze over to where the handsome teen had disappeared.

She bit her lower lip and hesitated before walking over to Corridor D; none of the two women noticed her absence since they both wanted to keep sharing their contempt for Troy Bolton. Yes… it was definitely lame; anyone who saw it would think it.

She found him accommodating a couple of books in the lowest shelf and she walked over to him, a small smile playing on her lips as she approached him; he seemed like he hadn't noticed her presence yet.

Troy was so caught up in his duty, searching for the right spot of the book in his hand that he hadn't noticed a certain brunette standing behind him… until she cleared her throat and got him startled. He looked up and he couldn't help but widen his eyes when he saw her. Gabriella secretly grinned at his reaction.

He quickly gained his composure back and put a serious face on; he turned back around to the shelf and cleared his throat.

"May I help you?" he asked with the same monotone voice he had used on his father that morning and finally located the place where the book was supposed to go. He shoved it in and took another one from the cart behind him, not turning to look at Gabriella again.

"Yes, actually you can" Gabriella said, now knowing why Taylor said he had been a jerk to her; he wasn't very social, was he? "I was wondering if you could tell me why you haven't said 'hi' to me, yet."

"Hi" he responded dryly, placing another book into the shelf.

Gabriella twisted her mouth to one side and sat next to him on the floor "It's crazy that I'm starting in the same school as you, huh? What a coincidence, don't you think?" she smiled at him even if he wasn't exactly looking at her.

"It sure is" he mumbled, searching for the spot of the next book. Why can't she just leave?

Gabriella nodded; this isn't going to be easy "Ah! I see… so you can flirt with the librarian but you can't talk to me?"

"Nope" he responded "Please go away…"

Gabriella frowned "Did I do something to make you act like a total ass to me?"

He turned to look at her "If you don't like my attitude then you can always leave me alone" he arched an eyebrow and gave her a bored look, just like he didn't give a crap that he was being a dick.

Gabriella looked back at him and her frown deepened. She didn't know what to think exactly, she just knew that she was puzzled with his sudden change of attitude towards her. He had acted… _nice_… around her in the flower shop, she actually thought he kind of_ liked_ her. Maybe she misread him.

"Why the sudden change of attitude?" she decided to voice her question "I mean… in the flower shop I thought that-"

"Only because I helped you out doesn't mean I'm your friend" he glared at her "It doesn't mean I like you or anything… so please don't talk to me…"

Gabriella was taken aback by the sudden mean look on his face. She blinked shocked and wasn't sure how to answer him.

"Okay." She nodded and stood up, deciding to give up. She brushed the back of her jeans "I won't talk to you…"she sighed and walked away. Taylor was right! He's a jerk!

Troy stared after her and sighed too. The mean look fell from his eyes and he continued placing the books on the shelf like if nothing had happened. Sometimes it's easier to push people away… to be alone and have your thoughts to yourself. No one gets hurt… and no one gets disappointed in the end.

He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't want to disappoint her. He didn't want her to know what he really was: a murderer. She had looked so excited when she saw him walking towards her a few moments ago; that look would surely turn into hate and fear when she found out about his hurtful past.

She was better if she stayed away from him.

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><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

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**I didn't like this chapter a lot, but… I tried to write it as good as I could.**

**Sorry for Grammar and spelling mistakes.**

**Xoxo Mary **


	3. What is it about her?

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter two_

**Hello my fabulous readers! How are you in this fine morning/afternoon/evening? I'm great thank you! xD **

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* * *

><p>"<em>Chad! Come on, I can't even shoot from there!" Troy laughed at his best friend as he ran to the middle of the court, bouncing a basketball.<em>

"_Shut up, Bolton! If I do this, I'll be the first 7 year old in the Basketball History… to shoot from the middle of the court!" he grinned at him and then lifted the ball up to his chest. _

_Troy rolled his eyes "I'd like to see that…"_

_Chad ignored him and proceeded to close his left eye and take out his tongue, pressing it to one side of his mouth. He crouched down and pushed the ball into the air, aiming for the net._

_Troy's laugh almost scared the birds away when the basketball fell two feet away from the net and clutched his stomach while bending down in an exaggerated way. Chad glared at him._

"_Shut up, idiot! I'd like to see you try it!" he crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly. Troy kept on laughing as he took the ball from the ground and walked over to a frowning Chad._

"_Dude, I would look just as bad as you if I tried" he grinned. "But I'm up for another game! What do you say?"_

_Chad pursed his lips for a moment but then beamed at him "You're on, Bolton!" _

_The two kids began playing, laughing as they missed a few baskets and celebrating when they were able to shoot one. _

_Lucille Bolton watched happily from the kitchen window as she washed the dishes from dinner. She giggled along with his son and his best friend, having just as much fun as they were only by watching. Suddenly, when Troy tried shooting another basket, he threw the ball over the fence._

"_Great Job, Troy! You lost the ball!" she heard her son's best friend complain and saw how the two boys ran over to the fence, grabbing onto it as they saw their ball bounce away, across the road._

_She shook her head at them and turned off the water tap of the sink and dried her hands off with a towel. She sighed and pushed the door -that lead to the backyard- open and walked over to them._

"_What happened, boys?" she asked._

_Troy and Chad turned around at the sound of her voice and both began rambling about how it was the other's fault that they lost the ball. Lucille rolled her eyes and lifted her hand up, making them shut up._

"_One at a time!" she said patiently and sighed, placing her hands on her hips "Who's getting the ball?"_

"_Chad/ Troy!" they said at the same time while pointing at each other. Lucille rolled her eyes._

"_Okay… make a round of _rock, paper, scissors_ and the one who loses, will go for the ball…" she decided, making the boys whine._

"_But Chad lost it!" Troy complained._

"_No! You lost it!" he shouted back._

"Rock, paper, scissors_… I said!" she narrowed her eyes at them and the 7 year olds sighed. _

"_Fine…" the both mumbled and turned to face each other, placing one of their little fists in the other hand "Rock, paper, scissors!" they chanted at the same time._

"_Fuck!" Troy whined, seeing Chad making a rock with his fist while grinning, and his hand making scissors. How could he lose? He never loses anything!_

"_Troy! Language" her mother scolded and Troy rolled his eyes._

"_Sorry… I'll get the stupid ball…" he mumbled angrily as he lowered his head and walked over to the gate that leads to the street. "But it's unfair!" He sighed and turned towards his mom with a fake sad look. His mom only raised an eyebrow at him expectantly and he sighed again, opening the gate and shoving his hands into his green shorts' pockets. _

_The red-head and green eyed woman followed him outside. Her son was very competitive and she never liked it; she was sure that he got that from his father. She wanted to teach her son how to lose and don't make a tantrum when he did; that's why she made him get the ball instead of getting it herself. He had to learn at one point that not everything had to go his way._

_Troy huffed as he saw the ball leaning against the sidewalk at the other side of the road. He looked at both sides before crossing the street and picking up the round orange object between his hands. He turned around and glared at his grinning mother. He couldn't make things to go his way, but his mom could make them go _her_ way! That isn't fair! _

_His mom arched an eyebrow at him and he sighed, looking down to his shoes and walking back towards her. _

…

_Then everything happened too fast._

"_Troy!" his mother's scream made him look up and then he turned to one side when he heard a loud horn. His blue eyes widened when he saw a car approaching him full speed and he froze in shock in the middle of the road. _

_Lucille acted fast._

_Troy felt how his body was violently pushed out of the car's way. He fell backwards, hitting his little head against the pavement and letting the ball slip from his hands from the impact. _

_His heart…was the only thing he heard pounding against his ears and the only thing he had present for a few moments. He felt like he had lost contact with everything and everyone; there was a moment when he didn't even know where he was. _

"_LUCILLE!" his father's voice brought him somewhat back, but he heard it like if it was distant, like if it was an eco… resounding in his now pounding head._

"_LUCILLE!" he yelled again. Troy tried pushing himself up with his elbows, finding it hard to do so with everything spinning around. He looked up. It took him a moment to process what was going on. _

"_Mom!" __he screamed. He felt how the blood left his face as he paled just like his mother. _

_A red puddle of blood adorned the street as his dad held his wife between his arms, shaking her lightly… trying to bring her back to life. Chad stood there, he couldn't even move as tears streamed down his face from the scene that just developed in front of his innocent brown eyes. _

_The face that was once filled with joy, life and happiness… was now empty…_

"_Mom!" Troy yelled again, his own high-pitched scream penetrated his ears as the tears flowed down his cheeks in horror. _

_Not minding his aching head, he pushed himself up and ran over to his mother, falling to his knees once he was next to her. _

"No!" This time, Troy sat up straight as he woke up startled, his hands flying in front of him, trying to reach for his mother but only gripping his silky sheets in despair. His chest moved up and down rapidly as his breathing increased in fear. A few drops of sweat flowed down his forehead and dripped down his nose as his heart pounded at the speed of sound.

He blinked shocked for a few moments before actually realizing where he was. He shook his head and sighed as he passed his palm over his forehead, wiping some of the sweat off and closing his eyes. He leaned back against his mattress and rested his head against the pillows. _Stupid dream…_

That's when he noticed his alarm clock going nuts on his bedside table. He groaned and then slammed his hand against it, turning it off. That thing will cause him a headache some day!

It has been one week since the dream came back; he thought he finally got rid of it, and he couldn't understand why it came back after 4 months of tranquil sleep; it seemed like he was going to get used to it… being on and off. He ran his fingers through his moist hair and opened his eyes once again, staring up at his white ceiling.

When would this torment end? It's been ten years… and he doesn't feel any less guilty, any less sad or lonely… he hasn't been able to forgive himself for killing his mom. But of course, who could ever forgive themselves after that? It's impossible! And apparently… the torture is permanent.

He huffed and finally decided to get out of bed. He still had school to attend… sort of…

* * *

><p>"What, today you're not even going to say good morning?" Troy mocked his father, taking a sip of his coffee as he saw him walking past the kitchen.<p>

He saw his father take two steps backwards and narrow his eyes at him "I'm not very happy with you right now, Troy Alexander…"

Troy rolled his eyes and placed his mug down "When are you ever?" he questioned.

"When you aren't acting like an asshole!" he answered.

"Newsflash Jack, I'm an asshole all the time!" he crossed his arms over the counter and smirked at his father, challenging him.

Jack shook his head at him "Look! I'm late for work, I don't have time to-"

"Remember you have a son?" he questioned, still with the mocking smirk playing on his thin lips; a slight hint of fun in his eyes mixed with a little pain. Jack stared at him angrily.

"I do remember I have a son, Troy!" he walked into the kitchen, slamming his briefcase on the counter and placing his hands over it, leaning forward; Troy didn't back up at his father's stern look.

"I know I have a son! A son for who I work my ass off so he can have the life that he's having right now!" he hissed "A son who's an ungrateful lazy ass and a messed up shit"

Troy didn't show to be bothered by his words, and he would never admit it, especially to his dad… but it did hurt him; to be rejected and blamed by his own father hurt him... but he's gotten used to it.

Troy now narrowed his eyes and stood up, facing his father "I've got the best teacher, _dad_. You've showed me everything I know." he said sarcastically. "To walk away from my problems at home, blame your kid for his mother's death… and to be an ungrateful bastard and a messed up shit to not notice that he lost the only thing left in his life!"

"You little son of a bitch" he growled on his face, raising his arm up and smacking him with the back of his hand.

Troy's hand flew over to his jaw as his eyes tried to gain his focus back; he seemed to have lost it for a moment when his father's hand collided with his cheek. He blinked for a couple of seconds before turning to look at him with a resentful glare.

Jack was breathing heavily, anger burning in his eyes and he didn't even look guilty by the fact that he had just hit his son.

Troy let out a sour chuckle as he shook his head at him "You know what? No. I'm nothing like you; I've learned nothing from you and neither have I ever wanted to" he passed his thumb over his lip when he felt a hot liquid running down his chin and noticed that he was bleeding. He scoffed "And I'm the asshole, here?" he looked up at his dad.

Jack's eyes softened and he blinked shocked; the blood seemed to be what brought him back to his senses. "Troy, son, I- I'm sorry, I-"

"No" Troy cut him off, glaring at him with hate "I'm not your son… and you're not my dad, you're just a sperm donor…" Without further note, Troy grabbed a napkin and pressed it to his lip before grabbing his backpack and storming out of the kitchen.

"Troy wait!" he heard his father follow him as he quickly walked over to the front door. As he took his keys, a hand fell over his shoulder.

Troy turned to him and the look he gave him, made Jack drop his hand "Don't touch me…" he hissed at him, before opening the door and slamming it shut behind him.

* * *

><p>The tires of his car screeched loudly as he drove into the parking lot of East High at full speed. A few students jumped out of his way and some of them insulted him as he violently parked his black Mercedes in a free spot.<p>

He turned off his car and placed his aviator shades over his eyes as he stepped out.

"What the _fuck_ are you all staring at?" he yelled at the students who were giving him weird and angry looks, making them turn away quickly and continue with what they were doing, just like if nothing had happened. Only one person continued to stare at him.

He slammed the door of his car shut and walked quickly over to the building. Everybody stayed out of his way, just like if they knew that it would get ugly if they got in his way. He pushed the door open harshly, making everyone to look at him for a brief moment.

Troy walked over to his locker. As he opened it, he shoved one of his hands in one of his pockets and frowned. Where's his wallet? He placed his other hand in his other pocket and found it empty as well. He checked his black hoody's pockets and silently growled to himself in anger; this wasn't his day.

He took off his shades and placed them in one of his pockets; he promised himself he wouldn't do it again, but… he didn't have money and he wasn't in the mood to flirt with the lunch lady for food! He spotted a small freshman boy struggling to get his stuff out from his backpack to place them in his locker at the other side of the hall. He smirked lightly to himself and walked over to him.

"Hey, you!" he said, trying to get the attention of the boy with red hair and freckles. The innocent kid turned towards him and his brown eyes widened when he saw the huge blue eyed teen in front of him.

"Y-yeah?" he stuttered. Poor kid, it was too obvious that he was new in here. And yet… Troy still continued with his plan, not in the mood to feel guilty.

"Got any money I could borrow?" he asked, a bored tone in his voice.

The kid shook his head "N-no, I-I'm sorry… I only got enough for my lunch…"

Troy pursed his lips and nodded coolly "Alright" he finished making his way towards him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pushing him against the lockers. The poor boy whimpered and dropped his stuff in fear "But too bad, because I need money…"

"B-but… I d-don't have enough for the b-both of us…" he stuttered. So naïve.

Troy shrugged "Then I guess you'll have to starve…"

"Why don't _you_ starve?" the two boys turned to the right when the new voice made itself be known. Troy groaned at the sight of the brunette that he had tried to avoid for over a week and let go of the boy.

Gabriella marched over to them narrowing her eyes at Troy "What the hell is your problem? Leave him alone!"

"I'm sorry princess, but who says that I'm going to listen to you?" he rolled his eyes, shoving his hands in his pockets, annoyed.

"You should!" she crossed her arms "Who the heck do you think you are to be bullying people?" she demanded to know.

Troy scoffed "I don't bully people…"

"I can see that!" she said sarcastically.

"Hey! It was only this once! I need money and…" he shook his head. "Wait, I don't have to answer to you, Cupcake! So why don't you leave me alone?" he gritted his teeth as he hissed at her.

By now, the freshman boy had picked up his stuff and ran away from the scene, thankful that the beautiful brunette had showed up in time; but Troy and Gabriella were too busy to notice.

"You could ask nicely for money and don't act like a freaking caveman!" she bit back.

"Listen Cupcake-"

"It's Gabriella" she snarled.

Troy ignored her "I don't know you, you don't know me… so leave me alone and let me deal with my own problems and how I should ask for money" he told her sternly "I helped you once, that doesn't give you the right to be nosing into my life…"

"I don't give a fuck!" she growled, taking Troy by surprise; she didn't seem like the girl who would swear "It still doesn't give you the right to-"

Troy rolled his eyes and turned around, walking away from her. He wasn't going to listen to this maniac.

Gabriella's blood boiled in her veins as he completely ignored her; only three things make Gabriella mad: when someone messes up with her family and friends, when she sees people bullying other people… and when others leave her talking alone.

She marched towards him and gripped him tightly by the arm, making him turn around "You do not ignore me when I'm talking to you!" she growled on his face, making Troy blink in shocker "I've got it very clear that I don't know you and that I probably look silly by screaming at you without doing so… but I don't care! And you do not leave me talking alone!" she hissed.

Troy pulled his arm out of her grip and took her by surprise when he pushed her against the lockers; he was aware that everyone was looking at them… but he never gave a fuck about it. He had his hands gripping her arms, but not as tightly as she was grabbing his before. He leaned in with dangerous eyes. What he didn't know is that she wasn't scared of the way that he pushed her against the lockers or by the look in his eyes; she was more scared of the proximity of his body and his face.

"You're pissing me off, Cupcake" he told her in a low and irritated voice. His nose was almost touching hers as their eyes drilled back into each other's with annoyance, his hands gripped her arms a little tighter and he now was aware of the position that they had taken; he got to notice the way her chest went up and down quickly as her breathing got accelerated. He couldn't help but smirk a little at the thought that he made her nervous, just like she made _him_ nervous. The intensity of that moment made everyone stop what they were doing to see what was going on.

The bell rang; making Troy and Gabriella snap from their silent discussion and making Troy pull away from her. He let go of her arms and the smirk that had formed in his lips, went down to a flat line; he glared at her for a moment but she could only stare at him, still a little dumbfounded for their little moment…if she could call it that.

Her eyes were a little wide, she was unsure of how to react or how to respond… so she just stared at him. Troy's eyes softened. He looked back at her, scrutinizing her expression as he cocked his head to a side; he found it cute how she turned from her angry state to a shocked one- or at least he thought that she was shocked.

As the halls began getting deserted, Gabriella finally got back to reality and she blinked. She cleared her throat and blushed when she noticed that she had stared at Troy for a long time; she looked down.

"Just… don't do it again…" she mumbled before readjusting her backpack over her shoulder and trying to walk away.

Troy didn't know what got over him, but he grabbed her by the arm, not really wanting her to leave. When she looked up at him surprise, Troy's eyes widened slightly as he realized what he had just done; he looked down to his hand gripping her arm and he quickly let it go, sending his hand to the back of his neck shyly.

"Don't do… what?" he tried to make an excuse of why he stopped her "Leave you talking alone or… bully freshmen?"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes somewhat playfully "Both…"

She turned back around and couldn't help but smile to herself as she walked away. _What is it about him?_ She wondered.

Troy smiled to himself as he watched her perfect figure walk away and disappearing around the corner. He felt… warm…

What is it about her?

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><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

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**Xoxo Mary **


	4. Pizza

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Three_

**Yay! I love you guys! Thank you so damn much for the reviews! You made me so happy! You think we can repeat that? :D haha lol jk. I'm happy just by knowing that you guys enjoy my stories…**

**Soo… I hope you like this chapter. Please Read, Enjoy and Review!**

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><p>Troy mentally smacked himself as his stomach growled. He had to lose focus when Gabriella showed up, didn't he? Now he was hungry…and pissed off. He hated to admit it –especially with an empty stomach- but he was kind of grateful; he had promised himself to stop mugging freshmen a year ago… but he seemed to have completely forgotten that morning.<p>

He huffed as he flipped the page of his Chemistry book and grimaced as his stomach growled again. He had an exam next period, but it wasn't like he needed to study, he was just trying to distract himself from his painful hunger.

At the other side of the cafeteria a pair of brown orbs was observing him curiously.

Gabriella bit her lower lip, tearing her bread in small little pieces and placing some of them into her mouth. She analyzed the way his forehead rested against his fist as he read a book over the table, how his fingers flipped the pages and how his brown shaggy hair covered half of his face, forbidding her to see his blue eyes.

She couldn't understand why she found him so interesting, he didn't have anything out of the ordinary but his rude attitude, yet… she felt like she could stare at him for hours.

She knew that there was something about Troy Bolton, something that made her feel drawn to him. But what was it?

Suddenly she was brought back by a pair of fingers snapping in front of her face.

"Gabriella!" Taylor called.

Gabriella blinked startled a couple of seconds before looking up at her new friend. "What?"

Her friend smirked a little "Who were you staring at?" she asked teasingly.

"No one!" she quickly denied, a slight shade of pink on her cheeks betraying her.

"Aha…" Taylor nodded sarcastically before turning around to the direction Gabriella was looking at. She scanned the cafeteria for a couple of moments before her eyes widened and she turned back to Gabriella with narrowing eyes.

"Tell me you weren't staring at Troy Bolton!" she hissed.

"I wasn't…"Gabriella blushed while shaking her head, making Taylor groan in disbelief. "I wasn't!" she exclaimed.

Taylor sighed while shaking her head at her "Gabriella. No! He's an asshole! Don't even try it, he's not worth it."

"Who's not worth it?" Gabriella and Taylor looked up at the new voice to find one of the three friends that Gabriella had made in her first days at East High; Chad Danforth. Her other new friend was a perky blonde who… just seemed to love pink too much; her name's Sharpay. She was a nice girl, a little too dramatic in Gabriella's opinion, but really sweet and kind; she was currently sitting with her boyfriend Zeke and some of her friends of the Drama Club.

"Troy Bolton…" Taylor responded, kissing the guy's cheek once he sat down.

The bushy haired guy seemed to freeze in his place at the mention of Troy's name "Oh" he articled, grabbing a fry from his tray and putting it into his mouth.

Gabriella eyed him curiously for a moment "How do you know he's that bad?" she asked, turning back to Taylor.

"He's a stupid jerk!" she rolled her eyes "Ask anyone at this school! He's rude and egocentric and… honestly… plain weird!" she scrunched up her nose "I mean! He flirts with any young beautiful teacher at this institution, but rejects every girl-student that tries to talk to him! And one moment he's quiet in class and the next… he's insulting the teachers!" she shook her head in disbelief "He's despicable! I once tried to be his friend and he told me to _fuck off_! TO _FUCK OFF_! Can you imagine that?"

"It's been a year, babe. Let it go." Chad murmured to her side, keeping his eyes on his fries and she sent him a deadly glare.

"Well, excuse me for feeling offended after I tried to be nice to the guy!" she shook her head "It's weird that he doesn't want any friends! He should be put in a mad house!"

"Enough, Taylor!" Chad turned to her, sending her a pissed off look "Leave him alone! You're getting me tired about it! Troy's not a bad guy! How many times have I told you? He's just a guy who lost his mom when he was young…"

Gabriella's brown eyes widened at the new piece of information. Maybe that's why he…

"That doesn't give him the right to be an asshole to people!" she insisted, crossing her arms.

"His mom died?" Gabriella asked quietly, turning to look at Troy again, who continued to read his book. She bit her lower lip as she began studying him again; she didn't notice the weird glances her friends were giving her.

"Yeah, but seriously Gabby" Taylor said, getting Gabriella's attention back "Don't!" she shook her head at her.

Gabriella bit the inside of her cheek as she looked down to her slice of pizza. She wasn't _that_ hungry, she was actually pretty satisfied with her apple and her toast. Maybe Troy had been an asshole to Taylor, but… something about what happened that morning told her that there was another side of the 'mean' Troy Bolton; Chad also contributed to her thought with his previous comment. She wanted to get to know that side. Call her crazy and obsessed, but… there was something about him that made her want to keep trying to get close to him.

She smiled lightly to herself and grabbed her plate, standing up and walking up to Troy's table without another word.

"Gabriella!" Taylor yelled at her, but she ignored her.

Troy sighed as he flipped another page. _Too easy_. Was there something in this book that was harder than Organic Chemistry? He learned this stuff in less than 15 minutes just by staring at examples and exercises. Yeah, he's that much of a _know-it-all_. He hates it sometimes, others… it's very helpful.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt like if someone was staring at him.

He groaned when he looked up "Have I, in any way, given you the idea that I liked you?" he asked, resting his head on his fist and rubbing his temple with two fingers. Gabriella rolled her eyes and sat down in front of him.

"And who told you that you could sit down?" he asked again, glaring at her.

"I brought you pizza" she said, ignoring his comment and placing the plate over his book.

Troy leaned back on his seat as he stared down at the piece of pepperoni pizza in front of him. "Why would you do that?" he asked deadpan, hiding the surprise he really felt towards her gesture.

Gabriella shrugged and leaned over the table, crossing her arms over it "You said you didn't have any money… and you must be hungry" she smirked "I'm just trying to protect the poor kids of freshman year"

Troy rolled his eyes and pushed the plate off of his book "I don't accept charity, thank you…"

"It's not for you, it's for the freshmen" she said, in the same deadpan tone as his.

He raised an eyebrow "Are you mocking me?"

She shrugged "Depends…"

"On what?" he asked unsure.

She smirked "Is it pissing you off?"

He scoffed and rolled his eyes "Cupcake, your mere presence pisses me off" he smirked back at her and she leaned back on her seat, cocking her head to a side. She studied his face for a moment, searching for something in particular; she couldn't say exactly what.

"Why are you so rude to people?" she questioned.

"Why are you such a pain in the ass?" he asked back, going back to his bored tone and shrugging his shoulders.

She leaned over the table again and continued to study his face "I want to get to know you" she admitted, saying it like if it wasn't a big deal. She wanted to see his reaction to that.

That caught him off guard and he didn't hide his surprise this time. He stared at her with a questioning and disturbed look. Why would she want to do that?

He shook his head and regained his composure as Gabriella secretly grinned to herself. He cleared his throat and shook his head "That'll be a waste of time…" he mumbled, staring down at his book for a moment before looking back at her.

Gabriella furrowed her brow "Why?"

"Because, Cupcake…" he narrowed his eyes at her as he stood up "I _don't_ want to get to know you. Now, could you please stop stalking me? It's… creepy" he shook his head at her before closing his book and walking past her.

Gabriella stared after him and pursed her lips. That went well.

* * *

><p>Troy tapped his pencil over his desk as he looked up at the clock and then back at the teacher; he was getting bored with genetics, even if Biology was one of his favorite classes. His eyes continued to glance at Gabriella every now and then. He was sitting a couple of seats to her right, at the front. He didn't know why, but he found himself staring every time she did a movement, when she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and bit her lower lip as she scribbled down on her notebook, or maybe when she scratched her head with the back of her pen, he found himself looking.<p>

Without noticing, he smiled each time she scrunched up her nose and pushed up her glasses, squinting up at the letters of the board. He found it cute.

"Mr. Bolton, I get that you're attracted to Ms. Montez, but could you please pay attention to my class?" The teacher, Ms. Mendoza glared at him from the front of the class with her hands on her hips. Typical of that woman to do that kind of stuff; the teacher wasn't his favorite thing about the biology class. She was despicable.

The classed 'oooh-ed' and Troy's cheeks turned slightly pink as Gabriella caught his stare on her; she blushed herself.

Troy cleared his throat, trying to regain his cool composure. He arched an eyebrow at the teacher "I don't know what you're talking about, I've been paying attention" he said in a monotone voice.

Ms. Mendoza nodded her head sarcastically "Is that so? In that case, could you please tell me what was I just explaining?"

Troy huffed and analyzed the board for a couple of seconds before answering "The Punnett's table; you use it to organize the characteristics of the progenitors, and having different combinations of those characteristics, a.k.a the gametes, so… you can get the percentage of the probabilities that the 'babies' get certain characteristics; in that table your showing 4 different phenotypes, also known as 4 different combinations of those characteristics."

See? It's also helpful being a _know-it-all_.

He didn't even bother to try to hide his smirk as the teacher and the rest of the class stared at him shocked and in silence. That's the part that he enjoys the most about class: to make the teachers go silent; he found it rewarding.

Ms. Mendoza cleared her throat and nodded "Very Good. Keep your eyes on the board next time" she turned back around and began writing on the board again, continuing with the example.

Troy turned to look at Gabriella and arched an eyebrow at her mockingly when he caught her staring at him this time. She blushed and quickly turned away, letting her hair cover the side of her face and act like a curtain between the two of them. Troy chuckled and looked back down to his desk, beginning to tap his pencil again. He suddenly frowned; what was she doing to him?

He dared to look back at her. He noticed his heart beginning to race its pace and an involuntary smile tug at the sides of his lips as he noticed the shy posture that she had taken. He sighed and shook his head; he couldn't allow himself to develop some sort of… feelings… for this girl, she looked funny and nice… and she was gorgeous! A guy like him isn't worthy of her, especially when he's a killer. He hurts people. That's his nature; he hurts them and they end up hurting him. No… he couldn't… he _wouldn't_.

He shook his head and turned back around. He had to take her out of his head. The big question is… _How?_

* * *

><p>Gabriella couldn't stop thinking about him. She couldn't stop thinking about the busted look on his face when the teacher caught his attention in the middle of the class, and she couldn't stop wondering if she really saw him blush or if it was only her imagination.<p>

She absently bit her upper lip as she placed her math and history book into her backpack; she liked the idea that she didn't have that much homework… maybe she could have some free time before she takes turn in her second job at the coffee shop. She surely needed the money these days.

"You know, I should totally kick your ass" she was brought back by Taylor's scolding voice. She turned to her right and saw her with her hands over her hips and furrowing her brow in annoyance. Gabriella rolled her eyes; what now?

"Why?" she dared to ask, closing her locker. She lifted her right knee and placed her backpack over it so she could zip it up.

"Because!" she leaned on the locker next to hers and crossed her arms "You didn't listen to me! You walked over to Bolton at lunch, even if I told you not to, and then you just walked away when the bell rang, totally ignoring me!"

Gabriella rolled her eyes again "Taylor, I had Biology class! I didn't want to get late; you know Ms. Mendoza is a bitch!"

"True" she admitted "But you could've waited for me! I had to wait until _now_ to scold you!" she grinned a little, trying to make it sound like a joke.

The brunette laughed and shook her head "I'm not 5 years old, Tay. I don't need you to scold me!"

Taylor scoffed "Apparently you do! I told you to get away from Bolton, but you listened? No." she narrowed her eyes "Look, Gabby! He may look like a harmless little _orphan_ puppy on the outside, but he's a dick! And I'll never get tired of telling you until you listen to me!"

Gabriella's eyes slightly widened at how Taylor had called him "Taylor! You-"

"I'm just trying to look after you!" she interrupted. "I'm your friend and I'm telling you that he's trouble!"

"Okay! I read that, but… you don't need to be so… mean" she shook her head.

"Mean? Me?" she blinked and made a small pause, "Yeah, okay… maybe…" she sighed. "But what I'm trying to say is that… I'm begging you to please be careful! Who knows what he can do? There's a reason why nobody speaks to him! And it's not just because he tells us to fuck off…"

Gabriella huffed and placed her backpack over her shoulder "I think you're exaggerating. He's just…" she bit her lips together, thoughtfully.

"Weird?" Taylor suggested.

The brunette chuckled and shook her head "No! He's… I don't know…"

"Misunderstood?" she tried again, a mocking smirk tugging at the side of her lips.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes "No! He's…" she bit her lips again; there wasn't a word that could exactly describe what she thought, "Special" she concluded. Close enough.

Taylor raised an eyebrow "Special? Troy Bolton?"

Gabriella shrugged "Yeah… he's simply different and I'm sure there's a reason why he's the way he is…"

"Of course there's a reason, Gabby!" Taylor rolled her eyes "But I still think that he should, at least, try to be friendlier!"

Gabriella made a small pause and then sighed "Maybe… yeah…"

"Besides…" Taylor smiled "You're too much of a woman for him…" she tried to joke.

Gabriella arched an eyebrow at her and giggled "What? How do you even know that? We just met a week ago!"

Taylor giggled too "Oh trust me! I just know" she linked her arm with Gabriella's "And… trust me, it's for the best if you stay away from Bolton; we wouldn't want that maniac to rip your head off, now would we?"

"Wrong, Taylor…" Both of the girls jumped a little startled at the new voice; they turned their heads to their left and their eyes widened when they saw the boy they were just talking about, standing right next to them; he had a small smirk playing on his lips "I wouldn't do that! At least not in public…" he joked, readjusting his almost empty backpack over his shoulder.

Gabriella small smiled while Taylor could only gape at him in shock.

"Listen to her, Cupcake…" he turned his attention to Gabriella.

"Gabriella" she corrected him again with a humorous spark in her eyes and a slight smile.

Troy ignored her "She's a smartass. You don't want to get near me… you'll turn into a vampire" he smirked at her and then proceeded to keep his way down the corridor.

Gabriella's cheeks flushed and she bit her lower lip as she watched Troy walk away. Taylor blinked shocked.

"Did he just call me 'Smartass'?" she asked in disbelief.

Gabriella only responded her with a nod "Uh-huh…"

* * *

><p><em>Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.<em> He scolded himself as he got into his black Mercedes. _One moment you say one thing and the next, you're doing another! Why couldn't you just keep walking and ignore them? Ignore her! If you pay attention to her in anyway, she'll continue bothering you! She must think that…Ugh! I'm an idiot! She must think that she's… wining or something! She got me to talk to her in more than two occasions! That's just wrong! I can't let her… keep… getting that close! And I shouldn't… speak to her first like I just did!_

He sighed frustrated. Why couldn't he act like she was invisible? Why is it hard to…? He should be able to…

He huffed and turned on his car. And to finish screwing his day up… he's _still_ hungry! He hoped that Annie, the cook, would have the food ready when he got home.

Troy looked up at the sky and saw the sun shining brightly; he dug inside his pocket, hoping to find his aviator shades. Nothing. He frowned.

He grabbed his backpack and opened it. He shoved his hand in, hoping that he would find them there; his hand found something else and he frowned. Aluminum paper? He grabbed the object and took it out.

It was a triangle wrapped in aluminum paper. He continued to frown as he turned it in his hands and found a note attached to it.

He took it off before placing the triangle over his lap and examined the note before unfolding it.

_Hope you find this before you starve to death. You should learn how to say 'thank you' and suck it up when people try to be nice to you. _

_-Gabriella._

Troy's frown grew deeper as he placed the note into the cup-holder next to him and took the triangle from his lap. He ripped the aluminum paper off and his eyes widened as he saw the piece of pizza that Gabriella had offered him in lunch.

"How the hell did she…?" he shook his head unbelieving. He rolled his eyes and leaned his head back into the seat "Unbelievable…" he smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Sorry for the wait! I had to re-write this chapter like 3 times before I… barely liked it! xD I hope _you_ like it!**

**Please leave a review behind and sorry for Grammar and Spelling mistakes!**

**Xoxoxo Mary**


	5. Coffee Shop

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter four_

**Holy crap on a cracker! You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for the reviews, I'm thrilled to know that many of you like my story! :D Seriously! Nothing makes me happier than reading your reviews! **

**Sorry for the wait; I had to re-write this chapter a couple of times! xD sorry.**

**Ohhh… so guys! What do you think about "Zashley's" pictures in Malibu, huh? Pretty promising right? (especially that one that looks like they're kissing -I still have my doubts) xD What do you say guys? Will we have to be become Zashley fans? xD I honestly wouldn't mind if Zac and Ash ended up dating; Vanessa is dating this Hutcherson dude and I honestly think that Zac should be happy too, and who else is better than his bff? 'Sides… I love Ashley! xD **

**So! Anyway! I hope you like this chapter! Please Read, Enjoy and Review! **

* * *

><p>Gabriella sighed tiredly as she hopped off the bus and readjusted her backpack over her shoulder. She hated to not have a car! She even started missing traffic; it was much better than the smell of people's sweat of the bus, or the perverted glances of weird dudes towards her. Too bad she had to sell her precious green <em>Tsuru 2001<em>. She had earned her money for 6 months to buy the beautiful used car, and then in less than 4 months… she was selling it again; life sucks sometimes. She couldn't even enjoy it.

She huffed as she began making her way down the street to her house. She couldn't complain though. If she hadn't sold her car, she and her dad would-.

She trembled, not wanting to finish that thought. She was grateful that they still have a house and the opportunity to somewhat continue their normal lives.

"Dad? I'm home!" she yelled once she opened her front door and then closed it behind her, dropping her backpack on the floor.

"I'm in my office, Gabby!" she heard him yell back.

Gabriella walked into the living room and then walked over to a wooden door that was half open. She knocked softly on it and then finished opening it up.

"Hey, _linda_! How are you?" Gregory Montez smiled at his 17 year old daughter and stood up from his dark-brown wooden desk, walking over to her.

Gabriella smiled back and wrapped her arms around her father's torso when he embraced her tightly against his chest. She inhaled the sweet scent of her dad and closed her eyes; he had this unique scent that she could recognize anywhere.

"I'm good." she answered and then both pulled back.

"How was school?" he made another question and motioned her to come in with his head as he walked back to his desk.

Gabriella sighed and sat down on the black and padded chair in front of the desk "Tiring" she admitted "But good…" she smiled.

"That's great, _hija_" he took off his glasses and placed them over the desk "Anything interesting happened?"

She shook her head "Nope."

He pursed his lips, "Nothing?" he questioned. "No new suitors?" he faked a smirk, trying to tease her, but failing as he blushed.

"No!" she giggled and shook her head, blushing as well. "You don't need to worry about that." She said, secretly thinking about a certain blue eyed boy that has been intriguing her lately.

"Oh, okay" he nodded. "Just asking…" he shrugged like if it wasn't a big deal. Sometimes Gregory Montez felt helpless when it came to his daughter. He didn't know how to… talk… _girl_. He always thought that his wife, Maria, would take care of that when the moment came; he obviously didn't expect her to abandon them when Gabriella was just 5 years old and his son, Tom, was just 15.

It was easier with Tom, because… well, he was a guy and… he simply knew how to handle things with him. Raising a little girl on his own… was a total different story.

Gabriella sighed and stood up, walking around the desk and behind her dad, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, "No luck, yet?" she asked, staring at the computer screen. There was a big zero underneath the icon that indicated the e-mails; it was depressing.

Greg shook his head as he rubbed his daughter's hand tenderly "No, sweetie. It's hard to find a company that wants to hire a _schizophrenic_ 54 year old single dad." He mumbled sadly.

Gabriella shook her head in disbelief "But you have it controlled. And you haven't had an accident since… ever." She said almost whispering.

"I know" he mumbled and sighed "But they're not willing to risk it. I may not hear voices in my head but…" he chuckled sadly and made a small pause. "Mija, you've seen how I've had my episodes of… catatonic stupor…"

"But that's it, dad!" she shook her head, still frowning "You haven't had something mayor than that!"

"Gabby…" he looked up at her, "I know; and I've been lucky that my attacks only last a couple of hours, but you know that they could last for months!" he exclaimed. "In the few interviews that I've had… none of them want to deal with such a drama if it happened at work…" he shook his head.

Gabriella sighed and nodded her head. "I still think they're dicks" She murmured bitterly, making her dad chuckle again. She perfectly knew and understood their reasons, but to her… they were people without heart.

They didn't understand what it was like to have a sick father that no one wanted to hire. They didn't understand that they needed the medical insurance; they had to save every extra penny to buy the medicines and… even when Gabriella had two jobs, she still couldn't help her dad that much.

They didn't know what else to do. Calling Tom for help was not an option; he barely started to work and he was saving pennies himself for his wedding. They couldn't ask him for money.

If Greg didn't find a job soon…

"Don't worry, Gabs" her father patted her hand again. "Something will come up…"

Gabriella nodded and kissed her father on the cheek "Let's hope so…" she murmured and buried her face in his shoulder, biting the inside of her cheek to prevent the tears to come out of her brown eyes.

She hated this. She hated how life was being so hard on them, she hated that her dad developed schizophrenia years ago and had relapsed 2 months ago when he lost his job, she hated that her dad's company had went into bankruptcy… and she hated that she couldn't help him with anything, no matter how hard she tried and no matter how much she worked; it would never… be enough.

* * *

><p>"Mmm… Mac n' Cheese" Troy guessed, mumbling to himself as he set his car keys on the entrance table and dropped his backpack on the floor. He smiled as his stomach growled. Maybe he had eaten a piece of pizza a couple of minutes ago, but like a good growing teenage guy… he was still hungry. He had to admit that Annie prepared the best Mac n' Cheese ever; she didn't make it out of a package of the store, she used manchego cheese and prepared the pasta herself.<p>

"Smells good, Annie." Troy made himself be noticed as he entered the kitchen, making the 34 year old brunette turn to him with a smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Bolton…" she nodded and continued moving the pasta around in the casserole.

Troy scoffed as he approached her and grabbed a slice of manchego cheese that was left on the plate next to her. "Annie, please stop calling me that. You make me sound like my dad." And that was the least thing he wanted.

"I'm sorry Mr. Bolton, but your father insisted that I called you that. Last time he caught me calling you 'Troy', I almost lost my job." She apologized and turned off the stove.

Troy rolled his eyes. His dad thought that having some sort of relationship with the work staff was… how to explain it? Unworthy? Wrong? Something close to that.

"He's not here, Annie. You can call me whatever you want." He half smiled at her.

Annie rolled her unusual honey-colored eyes, "Thank you, but I'd rather not risk it; remember that your father installed security cameras and…" she shook her head, "Let's not just risk it. You may now pass to the dining room; I'll be there in a minute."

Troy huffed and rolled his eyes one more time, "Sure…" he mumbled and opened the white swinging door that led to the dining room. He ate dinner around 4 or 5 since he knew that Annie had to be home early to be with her kids; it was a favor that he did to her. He knew what it was like to miss your mom… even if this situation wasn't exactly the same as his. He just didn't want those kids to be deprived to see their mom when they still had her.

The blue eyed boy sat down at the table. He didn't understand the need of having such a huge dining table. It wasn't like they had guests over all the time and honestly… it was too big for only one person. His dad never ate with him; it's been years since they last had a dinner together.

Troy stared blankly at the white porcelain plates over a single individual table cloth… also white. The silverware and the crystal glass didn't make much of a difference; it still looked… plain, boring… lonely. It didn't really matter if the set made perfect contrast with the oak table, it still looked… wrong. He sighed, resting his cheek over his fist as he pressed the fork's teeth with his finger and made it move in circles.

Annie soon appeared through the door with a casserole of red liquid. She grabbed the soup ladle and served the tomato soup in Troy's bowl.

He once asked Annie to eat with him, but of course… she refused, fearing for her job. She was awfully afraid of her boss and Troy couldn't really blame her, he knew his father would fire her if he ever found out.

"Thank you…" Troy murmured and she nodded her head, exiting the kitchen.

Troy ate his soup quietly. He was used to the silence in the house, even if the housemaids and Annie were always around… it was always silent. He missed his mom's laugh and how she argued with his dad, he missed the sound of her flip-flops as she walked around when she was tired of using her high heels… he even missed her cooking. It wasn't like Annie was a bad cook, because she's great… but… his mom's cooking…

He sighed and put his spoon down; he grabbed the bowl and finished the soup in three more gulps and set it down.

"All done?" Annie asked as she walked back in; Troy still didn't understand how she knew when he was finished, but he found it normal now. He nodded his head and Annie took his bowl away, walking back into the kitchen. Two minutes later she came back with the pasta and served a good amount on his plate. Troy continued to eat in silence.

Once he was done and Annie had picked up the remains on the table, he thanked her and placed his cloth napkin over the table, walking out of the dining room. He greeted one of the housemaids –Nicole- as he made his way through the hallway. He made it to the receiver and turned left to go upstairs.

He stopped as he placed one foot on the first step when he heard the door open and close behind him.

"Troy?" He gritted his teeth as his dad's voice rang through his ears. What was he doing home so early? "Uhm… did… you have dinner yet?" he asked quietly. Jack Bolton also knew about the unusual eating schedule that Troy had taken so Annie could leave earlier.

Troy turned towards him and narrowed his eyes. Who the hell does he think he is? Pretending like if nothing had happened that morning, like if he hadn't hit him… and like he didn't even hear him saying that he hated him.

"What are you doing here?" he questioned back.

Jack blinked and cleared his throat. "I… I wanted to talk to you."

"Yeah, well there's nothing to talk about," Troy answered him bitterly. "Why don't you go back to work? I'm sure they need you." He turned around to leave again but a hand gripped his elbow tightly. He stiffened.

"Troy-" Jack tried.

Troy yanked his arm away. "I said that there's nothing to talk about," he looked back at him. "I'm pretty sure I got your message this morning…"

Jack frowned. "I said I was sorry…"

Troy scoffed. "About what exactly? That you hit me or that you blamed me for mom's death?" He walked around him. He wasn't going to stay in this house while his father was there.

"Troy, please! I'm trying to fix this…"

He grabbed his keys and the wallet that he had left in the morning, "A little too late, don't you think?" He didn't even turn to look at him as he opened the door and slammed it behind him.

* * *

><p>Gabriella tied the apron around her neck and around her waist, before readjusting the name tag on the right side above her chest. She placed her black cap over her head and took her ponytail out of the hole in the back. She sighed as she tried to smooth out the invisible and inexistent wrinkles of her apron; she was nervous. Her first day at her second job in the coffee shop; she hoped to not screw it up.<p>

"Ready, Gabriella?" Jerry –her boss- asked as he opened the swinging door of the kitchen and peered in.

Gabriella nodded and sighed. "Yeah. I'll be out there in a minute."

"Okay, don't take too long, there are costumers waiting," he smiled at her, causing dimples to form on his cheeks, and then he disappeared behind the door.

The brunette sighed and checked her uniform one more time, before she opened the swinging door and walked over to Jerry. He had taught her how to use the coffee machine and how to prepare the smoothies the next day of her interview; Jerry had liked her from the moment she walked in, and he didn't hesitate to hire her. He thought he needed a young lady with the wish to work, for his coffee shop. He hoped he was right.

"Okay, where do I start?" the petite girl asked as she looked up at her boss with a nervous smile.

Jerry rubbed her back comfortingly. "Well, Mary and Jared are taking care of the tables right now, so… you can attend the costumers on the bar," he motioned the lonely men and woman sitting at the bar, drinking their coffee and eating cookies. "They're the bomb!" he joked and winked at her, causing Gabriella to giggle and slightly blush.

Jerry was a very handsome man. He had black wavy hair, piercing green eyes and a really hot smile; like all teenage girl, she couldn't help but feel attracted to him. He was around 24 years old and he was half owner of the business with his dad. Gabriella had never met his father though, she hasn't seen him around.

"Alright!" she smiled. "I'm on it…" She quickly took out her notepad from the pocket of her apron and approached the bar. She smiled as an old man sat in front of her.

"Good afternoon, Sir." She greeted. "How can I help you?"

The old man took off his jacket and placed it on the back of his chair. He turned around and looked up at the beautiful brunette.

"You could help me with a chocolate doughnut and a cappuccino, please." he smiled. The wrinkles around his brown eyes and the way his white mustache moved up with his lips, reminded Gabriella a little bit of her grandfather. She smiled back at him and nodded her head as she scribbled down on her notepad.

"Right away, Sir." She closed her notepad and proceeded to prepare the man's order.

The pacific atmosphere that was naturally created in the coffee shop, with chatting people and the sound of the whistling vapor coming out of the coffee machine, was rudely disturbed as everyone heard the screeching of tires against the pavement as a black Mercedes parked in front of the shop.

"Ugh. Not again…" Gabriella heard Jared groan to himself as he walked around the counter with a couple of coffee cups in a tray. The brunette frowned confused as she placed a plate with a chocolate doughnut in front of the old man.

"What's going on?" She asked Mary as she walked behind the counter with a tray full of empty cups and plates.

"Nothing," she shrugged. "Just one of the rudest costumers you'll ever come across with. Jared doesn't stand him." The blue eyed brunette shook her head. "He only comes once in a while… and…" she smirked teasingly up at her. "He's all yours!" She laughed as she walked into the kitchen, leaving a confused Gabriella blinking to herself.

What did she mean by 'he was all hers'?

Troy stepped out of his black Mercedes and shut the door with a loud bang. He took off his aviator shades and placed them inside his jeans' right pocket and walked up to the crystal doors of the coffee shop. He pushed one of them open, making a little bell chime on top of him and he let if close itself behind him as he walked over to the bar and sat down next to an old man.

He instantly took the laminated menu that rested besides him and looked through it. He felt someone stand in front of him.

"Just give me a hot mocha," he mumbled and threw the menu over the bar. A hand caught it swiftly before it fell off of the bar.

"You know? Besides learning how to say 'thank you', you should also learn how to say 'please'." Troy's eyes slightly widened as he recognized the voice. He looked up and he couldn't help but groan as his cerulean eyes found a pair of muddy brown ones.

"You've got to be kidding me," he sighed and rubbed his temples.

Gabriella rolled her eyes and scribbled down Troy's order. "Maybe you're the one who's stalking me and not the other way around…" she suggested as she placed her notepad inside her pocket. The old man sitting next to Troy chuckled, making the blue eyed boy turn and glare at him for a moment.

He turned back to Gabriella. "That's ridiculous."

"Nope," she smirked at him. "_Ridiculous_… is wearing aviator shades when it's cloudy outside…"

Troy's eyes narrowed. "Just get me my damn coffee." He almost snarled.

Gabriella rolled her eyes one more time before she walked off to the coffee machine. Troy stared after her frowning. God! She was so annoying and ridiculous and a mocking little brat and stupid and childish and… why did she had to have such a damn nice _ass_?

He looked at the way her hips swayed side to side as she walked, and the way her blue t-shirt and white pants hugged her body was perfect. He watched as she stood on the tip of her toes to reach one of the handles of the machine and started preparing his coffee, adding a couple of chocolate teaspoons into the coffee cup. He couldn't help but smile.

"You're practically drooling, my pal," he was brought back by the sudden comment of the old man sitting next to him.

Troy frowned as he looked at him. "What?"

He took a sip of his coffee before taking another bite of his doughnut. "I may be old, but I'm not stupid. You like her." He commented matter-of-factly.

The handsome teen scoffed and shook his head. "No, I don't" He denied.

The old man turned to him and raised an eyebrow, giving him a mocking look. "Son, I was once your age. I know that stupefied puppy-love look on your face!" he chuckled. "I've lived a lot, young man. So don't try to fool me."

"With all due respect, Sir, I'm not trying to fool you." He shook his head, "I _don't_ like her!" he denied one more time, "She's annoying and persistent and childish and she gets into my last nerve!" He frowned.

"And you like her." The old man smirked. Troy huffed. "She annoys the crap out of you, but there's something about her that drives you nuts," he sighed, "Just like my wife, Letty." he smiled.

"Okay, fine!" Troy rolled his cerulean eyes. "Think what you want."

The old man chuckled as he finished the last bit of his doughnut and shook off the crumbles of his fingers. In that moment Gabriella came back with a cup of coffee and placed in front of Troy.

"Here's your mocha," she announced. "Do you want anything else?"

Before Troy could answer whatever to her, the old man stood up from his chair and placed a twenty over the counter.

"I'll be leaving now. Thank you, sweetie." He smiled at Gabriella. "Keep the change."

"Thank _you_, sir." She smiled back at him, "Come back soon!"

"Oh I will, if you're my waitress," he chuckled as he put his jacket back on. "You're doing a wonderful job."

"Awe, thank you, Sir!" she giggled.

"Nah! Just saying the truth." He smirked down at Troy and sent him a wink. "It's no good to deny the truth, right son?"

Troy blushed but nodded his head. "R-right…" he mumbled.

The old man chuckled and sighed before thanking Gabriella once again and then he left, leaving a cursing Troy behind. _Old nosey nut-job!_

Gabriella sighed and rested her arms over the counter; Troy looked at her curiously.

"What?" he questioned, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Nothing," she shrugged. "Just wondering…"

"About?"

"What were you doing here?" she bit her lip and eyed him curiously.

Troy arched an eyebrow at her and leaned back on his chair. "Is it illegal to drink coffee at my favorite coffee shop?"

"No," she shook her head. "But I thought you would be home having dinner with your parents or something…"

Troy scoffed and copied Gabriella's position, resting his arms over the counter. "That's not going to happen any time soon…" he mumbled more to himself than to Gabriella.

"Why's that?" she asked, frowning curiously.

Troy sighed and took another sip of his coffee. "That's none of your business…"

Gabriella pursed her lips. "True. Sorry to pry…" she apologized. Troy only shrugged and looked down to his coffee, not really wanting to meet her eyes… her… beautiful brown and hypnotizing eyes.

The brunette sighed and as she was about to straighten up, she noticed something unusual in Troy's face. He had a slight shade of dark green on his right cheek and a small cut on his lip. She frowned; she hadn't noticed that before. It didn't look like it was some kind of dirt or something… and… the cut… she was sure it wasn't because his lips were dry.

"You're bruised…" she said without thinking.

Troy frowned and looked up at her. "What?"

She frowned, "You're bruised." she repeated.

"Yeah… uhm… I… got hit w-with a ball at G-gym class…" he stuttered.

"Must've been a pretty fast ball…" she mumbled as she examined the bruise with her eyes.

He nodded, clearing his throat. "It was…"

"Gabriella!" They both snapped their heads up at the voice and Gabriella felt herself go red in embarrassment as her boss frowned at her. "Get to work! You can chat with your boyfriend later!"

The brunette blushed harder as she nodded her head. "Uhm… y-yes Jerry, sorry… uh…" she passed her hands over her apron and bit her lower lip as her eyes met Troy's. She sighed. "But he's not my boyfriend."

"Yeah, well I really don't care… you've got people waiting!" he pointed towards the two old ladies sitting a couple of seats next to Troy and she turned to look at them for a brief moment before looking back at Jerry.

"Yes! I'm on it!" she exclaimed and then sighed, looking down at Troy.

He shrugged "Get to work. I'll let you know if I want more coffee."

Gabriella nodded and small smiled at him before she went over to attend the old ladies, without another word. Troy sighed and watched her work as he silently sipped his coffee; his thoughts were wrapped around about what the old man said. Was he that obvious?

* * *

><p>Troy sighed as he drank the last bit of his 3rd cup of coffee and placed a bill on the counter top. It was almost time to close and Gabriella hadn't stopped moving around since a huge amount of costumers began flooding the place. She hadn't stopped to talk to Troy again, but only to bring him a couple more coffees, that he drank slowly and without any rush.<p>

He always did that when his dad went home early. He would spend the rest of the day in the coffee shop until they closed; then when he got home, his dad would be already asleep and Troy would have a free path to his bedroom without any disturbance.

He stood up from his chair just as Gabriella appeared in front of him to pick up the bill.

"Keep the change." He sighed and she nodded.

"Okay… thank you" she smiled tiredly and walked over to the cashier.

Troy picked up his hoody from the back of his chair and looked around the coffee shop. One of the waitresses was cleaning the tables and the dude that he knew as Jared, was mopping the floors. He took one last glance at the beautiful brunette and placed his hoody on, making his way out of the coffee shop.

After Gabriella finished putting the money inside, she walked over to Mary.

"Hey Mary?"

The blue eyed brunette looked up from the table she was cleaning and passed the back of her hand over her forehead. "What's up?"

"Uhm… if it's… not too much to ask… could you give me a ride home?" she bit her lower lip. "It's getting dark outside and… uh… I don't want to walk to the Bus Station all by myself."

Mary grimaced. "I'm sorry, sweetie. But I promised Jared I would give him a ride, and I can't get home late." She bit her lower lip with guilt, "I'm really sorry!"

"Are you sure?" she whined.

The slightly older brunette nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry! I don't know where you live and I get lost easily if I don't know the zone… it would take me ages to get home and I can't risk my mom grounding me again."

Gabriella sighed and nodded her head. "It's fine… don't worry..." she gave her a fake smile.

"Maybe next time, okay?" she rubbed her arm and then walked away to clean another table.

Gabriella groaned. Great! Just great! She was hoping on getting a ride and Mary was her last hope since Jerry left early and Jared didn't have a car. What was she going to do now? Well…she doesn't have another option does she? She's going to have to pray to God and hope to not get mugged or raped in her way to the Bus Station. She sighed. Life sucks.

After Troy got into his black Mercedes, he searched into his pockets for his house keys. He frowned when he didn't find them. _Please don't tell me I forgot them too!_ He groaned; this wasn't his day at all. He searched deeper into them and then proceeded to look in the pockets of his hoody; still no luck. He took a deep breath to prevent any panic attack. He turned on the light on the ceiling of the car and sighed relieved as he saw them lying in the cup holder. _Yes!_

As he picked them up to place them inside his pocket, he looked up when he heard a laugh coming from the front of the shop. He saw Gabriella and the other two employees outside the coffee shop; the blue eyed brunette was laughing at something that probably Jared had said as Gabriella struggled to close the doors.

He watched as the two employees said their goodbyes to Gabriella and then proceeded to walk to an old truck that was parked a few spots away from him. He scoffed; they didn't even wait for her to finish closing up?

"Douche bags" he murmured.

Once the old truck drove away, Troy's brow furrowed as he noticed something that he hadn't before, with the monstrous object blocking his sight. He knew those guys. He had seen them a couple of times before when he came to the coffee shop. They were drinking and laughing, some of them smoking, but they suddenly went quiet as one of them pointed to a still struggling Gabriella.

_Oh hell no!_

Gabriella sighed happily as she finally found the key that locked the door and shoved it in, turning it to the left 3 times. Well, better late than never! She sighed as she took out the key and checked if she had locked the door correctly, before placing the set of keys inside her pocket. Why did Jerry have to ask her to close the shop? He could've asked Jared or Mary! They've been longer in this job than her.

Gabriella let out a shriek as she suddenly felt a hand land on her back.

"Shut up! It's me!" she quickly recognized Troy's voice as she sighed relieved, placing a hand over her chest. God! Did he want to give her a heart attack or something? What was he still doing there, anyway?

"For fuck's sake, Troy! Don't fucking do that!" she slapped him on the chest hardly after she turned around. "Do you want to give me a heart attack?" she demanded.

But Troy wasn't exactly paying attention to her as he rubbed his chest absently; he was frowning… glaring... Gabriella went to turn to where he was looking, but Troy stopped her, placing an arm around her shoulders.

"I'll give you a ride home…" he said, still glaring to his right.

Gabriella blinked shocked. "Wait what?"

"Get in the car, Montez." He turned his head around and tightened the grip around her shoulders as he sped walked towards his car; he opened the door to the passenger's seat and practically pushed Gabriella in before he closed the door behind her. She looked at him walk around the car and get in the driver's seat.

Gabriella stared at him confused and slightly shocked as he pulled out of the parking lot. The only question running through her mind was –_What the hell is wrong with him?_

Her question was soon answered when they drove past a group of men drinking and laughing loudly.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Sorry for any grammar and spelling mistakes! I hope you liked this chapter! Well it's almost 1AM xD I need my rest! **

**Please leave a review behind! **

**Xoxoxox Mary! **


	6. Cinnamon Roll

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Five_

**Thank you for the awesome reviews! Please keep them coming! I love you!**

**Sorry again for the wait, had to re-write this chapter too, plus writer's block… you know how it is! ;) **

**I hope you like it. Please Read, Enjoy and Review.**

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><p>Everything was just… <em>too<em> quiet. So quiet that you could almost hear a pin drop if the engine of Troy's Mercedes wasn't softly purring in the background. You could almost slice the awkward atmosphere between the two of them with a knife; that's how dense it was.

Gabriella bit her fingernails nervously as she stared down at her lap. She didn't know what to do or how to act; she didn't even know how to breathe in that environment! Should she say something? After he had asked her for her address, Troy didn't speak to her again… and that was making her nervous. Maybe she shouldn't have teased him like that at the coffee shop or… asked about the bruise in his cheek.

Maybe she hadn't have done the progress she thought she had.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!_ Troy scolded himself as he tried to focus on the road in front of him. What the hell was wrong with him? It was like… when he's with her… he doesn't think straight! What was he thinking when he told her to get into his car? Oh right! He wasn't thinking! He was too busy glaring at those drunken bastards, who were practically undressing his Gabriella with their eyes! His stomach twisted in a sickly way only by thinking about it. It angered him!

His eyes slightly widened as he rewound his thought. _Whoa… wait!_

_His_ _Gabriella_? See! He can't think straight! He doesn't even think! Oh God, what's happening to him? Not even a week of knowing this girl –or even _talked _to her for that matter- and she was already having this weird affect on him. This shouldn't be happening. It _couldn't _be happening. This is so ridiculous! How can someone influence you like that when you haven't even exchanged more than a couple of sentences with them in a week? Ridiculous! So why the hell is it happening to him?

No, no! This is unrealistic. No. It's just… pure attraction! Yes! He admits it! He's attracted to her! And he hates it! But there's no way in hell he's… letting her in or something close to that. No way. No. And he couldn't care for her. He simply couldn't. It was just his… conscience. Yes! His conscience telling him that it was the right thing to do when he got her away from that group of druggies. He would've felt guilty if he let her get hurt by them, and he couldn't deal with any more guilt than the one that he was already carrying over his shoulders.

Exactly! Just his conscience and nothing more. The fact that she was the cutest girl he's ever met didn't have to do with anything. The cutest girl that… _would_ _not_ _stop biting her nails_!

"Would you stop it already?" Troy growled between his teeth in annoyance as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. He can't stand when people bite their nails.

Gabriella jumped startled at Troy's sudden outburst. Way to break the silence. "What?" she questioned.

"Biting your nails!" he growled. "Stop it!"

She blinked. "Okay… sorry." She mumbled and placed both hands over her lap. She was a little bit disturbed. What was wrong if she liked to bite her nails?

He huffed. "Thank you."

The silence between them continued. The brunette began chewing her lower lip as she stared at Troy by the corner of her eye. So _serious_. Did he ever smile? Not his cocky and mocking smirk, but… like a real smile. A happy smile. Did he ever smile like that? He's always so quiet… and… expressionless… and distant. She hasn't seen him talk to anyone at school at all… but the teachers and… well, her. Why is he always so… lonely?

"You should stop it too…" Gabriella added with a mumble, placing her elbow over the edge of the window and resting her head over her palm. She looked out of her window, watching the houses blur past them.

Troy turned to look at her for a moment with a frown on his face before turning back to the road. "I'm not biting my nails, Cupcake." He answered.

"I wasn't talking about that, _Cinnamon Roll_." She mocked him as she rolled her eyes. Troy couldn't help but crack a small smile. "Do you always have to be so… cranky?"

"I'm not cranky…" he shook his head.

Gabriella scoffed. "Of course you aren't." She shook her head and turned to look at him. "You are, Troy."

"I'm not cranky" he repeated.

"Oh, really?" she said sarcastically. "Then I'm mistaken; my bad! I must've confused your aggressive and distant behavior and your always serious face with joy and happiness!"

"You must have…" he answered deadpan, nodding his head.

The brunette narrowed her eyes; he was beginning to piss her off. "You do understand sarcasm, don't you?"

"Oh! You were being sarcastic?" Troy exclaimed with fake surprise; also… being sarcastic.

Gabriella huffed and shook her head. "See? Always… bitter!"

"I'm not bitter, Cupcake." He denied. "If I were bitter, you wouldn't have called me Cinnamon Roll." He smirked at her.

The brunette rolled her eyes and turned to look out her window again. "I don't get you…" She mumbled as she frowned with frustration. Why couldn't she still decipher the big mystery that was Troy Bolton?

"There's nothing to get about me." Troy shook his head. They came to a stop at a red light.

"There is." She contradicted him. "A lot actually," Troy shook his head again. "You have this… tough and sarcastic guy façade," she said as she turned to him. "This shield… around you that pushes people away and makes them want to stay away from you. You always act like a dick to anyone who tries to be friendly with you… and yet… there are moments where you're actually kinda nice."

Troy shook his head as he sighed. Now she was a psychoanalyst? He remained quiet and began to tap the steering wheel with his thumb.

"You know what I think?" She asked after there was no response. Troy didn't even turn to look at her; he ignored her. "That you're just trying to hide that you actually _care_…"

Troy frowned at that comment. What did she mean by that? He turned to her and he was met with her deep brown muddy eyes. Oh those eyes!

They stared at each other, Gabriella's gaze being almost as intense as Troy's. This time, Gabriella didn't blush like she did each time their eyes met; she was too busy trying to… decipher the hidden message in his cerulean orbs.

They say that the eyes are the window to the soul; that only by staring into that person's eyes that you can know every single emotion in them. But Troy Bolton's case was different; it was hard to read any emotion in them, it was like instead of a window, there was a reinforced steel door with triple lock and… a fingerprint reader. There was only one thing that Gabriella was sure she saw; kindness. She knew he wasn't the jerk everyone thought he was; he was just someone who… was… different.

The poor red light that illuminated part of Gabriella's face somehow made her look more beautiful. Troy couldn't understand how this girl could turn his world upside down in a little more than a week. It frustrated him. It frustrated him that he couldn't find the strength to treat her like everybody else, that he couldn't just… ignore her and that he couldn't help but feel… warm _every_ time their paths crossed. It angered him. It _scared_ him. Why did she have to be so different? So special? Yet… he couldn't find anything out of the ordinary in her features; it wasn't like she had piercing green or blue eyes, it wasn't like she had the hottest body on earth… and it wasn't like her hair was perfectly tamed. But she was pretty. In her own natural way, she was pretty. That's why she was so different to him. She wasn't exactly like every other girl on this planet. And he liked that she was somewhat shy… and at the same time funny and… tough. How could he resist this girl?

Troy noticed how the red light on Gabriella's face turned green and he immediately turned back to the road, breaking their intimate gaze. Gabriella sighed sadly; she would've liked to stare at those marvelous and mysterious blue eyes a little more.

They continued in their silent atmosphere until they reached Gabriella's street.

"Which one's yours?" he questioned silently, referring to her house.

Gabriella looked out of the windshield and pointed to a house on the right side of the road. "The brown one with the white rail on the porch." She answered equally silent.

Troy nodded and slowly parked in front of her house. He didn't turn to look at her as he turned off the engine.

Gabriella sighed as she stared at her house. The light of the porch was still on, so as the one of the living room; her dad must still be up, waiting for her. She turned back to Troy and bit her lower lip.

"Uhm… uh… t-thanks." She stuttered. "F-for the ride and… for… t-the group of men… back… there." She blushed.

Troy nodded, staring down at the steering wheel. "No problem." He mumbled. "I... uhm… I'll see you tomorrow at school…"

Gabriella smiled shyly. "Tomorrow's Saturday."

"Oh! Uhm… then... I uh… I'll see you Monday." He cleared his throat awkwardly as he started to feel his cheeks heat up. Oh please don't let her notice!

"Sure." She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. As she placed her foot out of the car, she bit her lip and hesitated as an idea crossed her head. A playful smile tugged at the sides of her lips as she turned around and leaned up to Troy, kissing him on the cheek.

Troy jumped surprised at her sudden assault and turned to look at her with wide eyes. _What the!_

Gabriella smirked at his shocked expression. "Bye Troy." She said and stepped out of his car, slamming the door behind her. Troy watched her as she walked to her porch; the stupefied expression was still present on his face as she opened her door and waved one last time before entering her house.

Troy let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He placed his hand over his cheek; he could still feel the tingle in the place where she had just kissed him. Or maybe it was just his imagination. He shook his head, trying to get rid of any unwanted thoughts and he took another breath to get rid of the annoying knot in the pit of his stomach. God, he had to get away from her.

* * *

><p>As soon as he got home, Troy sighed relieved when he saw that all the lights of his house were off. After tonight, he wasn't exactly in the mood to run into his father. He had a lot to think about, a lot to figure out… and he simply didn't have time to argue with him –since that's all they do.<p>

He didn't know what to do anymore. One moment he would think one thing, convince himself of it… and the next, he was doing another one when he was around her. She could go past his barrier effortlessly, like if she was immune to it… and not even how hard he tried… he found himself being drawn to her in the weirdest way possible. It didn't even matter that most of the times, they were arguing, because that's the deal; they argued. He was paying attention to her, when with other people he could simply turn around and leave without any problem.

He had to solve this. He knew that it wouldn't be okay if… they started a friendship. It wouldn't be fair to any of them if he let himself _want_ her. He sighed. _Stupid nature!_

He huffed as he finally reached his room and opened the door. He turned on his light and closed the door behind him, leaning against it. He shook his head as he closed his eyes with frustration; he couldn't even take her out of his mind now!

The worst part is that he _liked_ to think about her. He felt… different when he did… weird. He liked how he would warm up as his heart raced its pace, filling every inch of his body with his blood's warmth.

She was so… so…

He smiled. _Unique_.

All his hard work for nothing. She's got him smiling now! That's not _okay_! This is going to end up being a disaster if he doesn't gain control of his thoughts and actions.

He walked over to his bed and took off his tennis shoes, pushing them with his feet. He sat over his bed and took off his jeans and then his shirt, getting inside the sheets afterwards. He leaned up a little and turned off the switch that was hanging next to his bed, obscuring his room.

Troy placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. He sighed as an idea crossed his mind and he smirked a little. How would she look naked?

His eyes shut open.

"God, Bolton! Get a hold of yourself!" he groaned and placed an arm over his eyes. He didn't want to be one of those guys who were thinking about sex every seven seconds...

Yeah… who was he kidding? Testosterone works the same for all males.

* * *

><p>Gabriella yawned as she walked down the stairs of her house the next morning, crossing the living room and the dining room to get into her kitchen. She smiled at the sight of her father sitting at the Kitchen Island, reading the newspaper and drinking his coffee, still wearing his pajamas.<p>

"Morning, dad" she greeted him with a tired smile, making him look up from his lecture and smile himself.

"_Hola, cariño_." He said, closing his newspaper and placing it besides him. "How did you sleep?"

"Great!" she sighed and went over to the coffee maker, pouring a mug for herself. "And you?"

"Can't complain." He joked, making Gabriella smile. "What are we having for breakfast?" He asked. Ever since Gabriella learned how to cook on her own -after her brother had left and her father was still working- she was the one to prepare the Montez's meals. She liked to do it, and she was good at it.

The brunette shrugged. "Whatever you want. I can make pancakes, eggs, quesadillas…" she suggested, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Scrambled eggs?" Greg smiled and Gabriella nodded.

"Right away, dad." She grinned and placed her mug on the bar next to her and walked over to the fridge.

As she was taking out the eggs and other stuff for their breakfast, Greg bit his lips together thoughtfully. How was he supposed to board this subject? _Hey sweetie? Yeah, so I was kinda spying on you last night, and… who was that guy that brought you home?_

… Yeah, he didn't want to deal with his daughter's reaction to that. Well… he's got to start somewhere, right?

"So… how was work yesterday?" He asked, taking a sip of his coffee. "I didn't get a chance to ask you last night since you arrived very tired."

"It was… busy." She commented, shrugging her shoulders as she took out a pan from the lower cupboard next to the stove.

"Ah…" he nodded. "How's your boss?"

"Jerry's a little bit friendlier than Savannah, but he's the typical loud boss that likes to yell around so we hurry up." She took out the oil from the cupboard next to her and poured a little trickle into the pan before turning on the stove.

"Yeah, well you'll never find a boss who isn't… bossy." He chuckled. Gabriella joined his laughter and turned her head a little to smile at him, since her back was facing him. "How about your coworkers?" He continued.

She cracked an egg open and plopped it into a bowl. "Well, I think Mary's like a year older than me… or maybe more, I don't know. She's cool… I liked her. And Jared's… weird." She giggled and shook her head. Greg raised an eyebrow at that.

"Ah, really?" He questioned, perking his ears up at the new piece of information. Maybe the guy that brought her home last night was this Jared dude.

"Yeah…" She nodded. "I'm sure he's a nice guy, but… I don't know… there's something about him that I still don't… like." She pursed her lips thoughtfully.

"How come?" He frowned.

Gabriella shrugged. "I don't know… maybe because he's kind of a prig." She giggled lightly.

"Ah!" Greg nodded. "So you don't like him?"

"Nah!" His daughter shook her head and rolled her eyes to herself. "He's too conceited for my taste." She joked.

The 53 year old man chuckled, kind of relieved now; there wasn't any _possible-future-boyfriend_ alert, after all. "So… this Jared guy…" he hesitated, taking a sip of his coffee.

"What about him?" She questioned, beating the eggs with a fork.

"Was he… the one who brought you home… l-last night?" He finished his question with a stuttering voice. Yeah, he definitely hated not knowing how to talk 'girl'.

Gabriella's eyes widened and her stomach turned uncomfortably, perking her head up at her father's question. She stopped beating the eggs. Okay…

How the hell does she answer to that?

"Uhm…" she pondered. "Uh… n-no… i-it wasn't J-Jared." She took a breath. _Okay, calm down Gabriella. _She turned back to the bowl and continued beating the eggs. _Just act cool! Like it's not a big deal! It's _not_ even a big deal! So relax! _

Greg frowned, the worry beginning to crawl back into his system. "Oh no?" Gabriella shook her head and poured the eggs into the pan; a sizzling sound filled the kitchen. "Then who?"

"Uhm… uh…" Gabriella reached out for the salt with a shaky hand. "A-a-a… friend f-from school. He uh… he… went to the coffee shop yesterday and uh… he uh… he offered me a ride home." She closed her eyes and cursed under her breath. _Stupid, stupid! That isn't acting normal!_

"Oh, okay…" Her dad frowned. "What's his name?" he crossed his arms and leaned over the bar, looking at his daughter curiously; she never got nervous with boy subjects unless… you know… she likes someone. But that has only happened twice.

"Uh… h- his name is Troy..." she said nervously, moving the eggs around the pan.

He nodded. "Alright."

"Yeah…" she nodded too.

"And uh…" he cleared his throat. "You like him?" he asked. Gabriella huffed; she hated when her dad tried to make girly talk. Doesn't he know that he sucks?

"No." She shook her head. "You want ham in your eggs?"

"Yes, please…" he nodded. "I- I just assumed since… you… uhm…" he cleared his throat again. _Awkward._ "You kissed him and all that…"

Gabriella's eyes went wide in shock, but it was soon replaced with anger and disbelief. "Were you spying on me?" she exclaimed as she turned around to face her father. She had thought that maybe he had heard Troy's car and assumed that someone brought her home… but- Oh! Who was she kidding? It was her dad! Of course he would be spying!

"No! No, no, no!" he denied. Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him. "Well… yes… a little…" she continued to glare. "A lot." He smiled nervously and Gabriella growled in annoyance, turning back around and turning off the stove. "Well, I thought I heard something and I went to check! And then I saw it was you and that it was a guy who was driving the car so… yeah…"

Gabriella huffed again. She grabbed a couple of plates from the plate rack –that were forgotten to be put away the night before- and served the eggs on them. She placed the plates over the Kitchen Island and walked back to the fridge to grab the orange juice.

Greg frowned down at his eggs. "_Hija_, you forgot my ham…"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him as she slammed the juice carton over the table, making her father jump startled. "You don't deserve ham today, Gregory!" She opened a drawer and took out a little plastic bottle. She opened the lid and turned it over her hand. She took the pill and placed it on the table, in front of her dad. "Now take your pill!"

Greg sighed as he looked down at the little and horrendous blue pill. He grimaced as he took it between his fingers and grabbed the glass of orange juice that his beautiful daughter had poured for him. This stupid little pill… was always the one to remind him that he was sick. It's not like he forgot completely about it or anything, because it's something that is always present. But he tried to act normal, like if he wasn't a schizophrenic father, struggling to find a job… but more like… a _normal_ father, trying to support his daughter.

Being a failure was never easy. He felt horrible that… his precious daughter had to work her ass off so he could buy his pills. It wasn't fair._ He_ was the father!_ He_ was the one to support his daughter! Not the other way around! But what else could he do? No one wanted to hire him.

After Gregory gulped his pill, Gabriella sat down next to him and began eating her eggs. To say that she was beyond pissed was an understatement. Greg grimaced a little at his daughter's tense posture; yeah he knew he did wrong… on _telling_ her that he had spied on her. But he needed answers… and right now… he didn't care if she was angry at him; he was her father and it was in his nature to pry into her love life. And he's not going to apologize for worrying about her.

The Montez small family finished their breakfast in silence.

"Anything else?" Gabriella asked deadpan after she picked up their plates and placed them in the sink; she would wash them as soon as she got back from the store.

"No, sweetie. Thank you." Greg smiled at her and Gabriella nodded her head.

She sighed. "Well, I'm gonna go to the store. Do you need anything? More deodorant or something?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

Greg shook his head. "Nah, I think I'm good."

"Alright. See you later." She said before making her way out of the kitchen.

"Bye Gabby! _Con cuidado_!" **(Be careful)**. He yelled after her.

Gabriella sighed and shook her head in disbelief as she took her purse and her keys before exiting her house. And he didn't even apologize! She deserved an apology, even if he didn't really mean it! She gets that he's her father and that it's kind of natural of him to look after her, but… spying on someone isn't correct! Even if that person is your own daughter! If Gregory had a girlfriend or something, she wouldn't be prying into his business! Not like… she considered Troy boyfriend material or anything!

… Yeah, she can't even fool herself on that one. Actually on both subjects: she _would_ pry into her father's business and she found Troy really cute.

She smiled a little as she made her way down the steps of her porch. Troy was…

He could be… distant and… kind of an asshole, but… she knew there was something about him that… made her want to keep trying. She knew that Troy Bolton wasn't the jerk he pretended to be; it was just a mask. A mask she was willing to take off…

If only if he let her.

* * *

><p>"Troy. I really need to talk to you…" Jack Bolton said after he entered his kitchen. He saw his son peacefully eating his toasts and didn't exactly plan to look up at him. "Troy…" he tried again.<p>

"I heard…" he answered deadpan, taking another bite of one of his toasts with butter and strawberry jelly. "I told you that there's nothing to talk about…"

Jack sighed and sat down across from Troy. "Son, look! I'm sorry I hit you yesterday…"

Troy scoffed. "Of course you are…" he said sarcastically, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I am!" he insisted. "I don't know what got over me…you got me pissed and I reacted."

"Oh! That makes sense now! I'm sorry, Jack! How come I didn't think of that?" he rolled his eyes, placing his mug down on the bar.

"Troy, I'm trying here…" Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Well maybe you should quit trying…" he narrowed his eyes back at him.

"I said I'm sorry! What more do your want?" he questioned.

Troy shook his head at him, crossing his arms over the table. "Is that all you're sorry for, Jack? For hitting me?"

"Well yes! I'm sorry I hit you! Even if you deserved that smack, I'm sorry! It was _your_ fault, Troy!"

Troy looked at him with disbelief evident in his eyes. "Of course it was my fault…" he shook his head and stood up. "_Everything_ is everyone else's fault. You're perfect and you have no error, right Jack?"

"I'm your father, Troy. You call me _Dad_!" he stood up too. The anger was building within him once again.

The tension between the two Bolton men began growing again as they stared into each other's eyes. Blue against Blue. Father against Son. But in Troy's case, Jack Bolton stopped being his father after his mother's death. For him, Jack was only and unfortunately blood related to him.

"How can I call you something you're not?" he challenged him, not really afraid if he hit him again; this time, Troy was ready to block him if he thought about it.

"I am your dad, Troy." Jack contradicted him. "I've always been, and always will be. You can't change that even if you wanted to!"

"Sadly." He agreed. "And to be honest, you're one sad little excuse of a father…"

Jack gritted his teeth. "Take that back, Troy. I've done nothing but being a good father to you! If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have the excellent quality of life you're having!"

Troy shook his head. "You're wrong, Jack."

"Really? Then I dare you to leave!" he narrowed his eyes. "If you think you'll have a better life without me then leave! The door's open!"

Troy held his stare for a few moments before lowering his head. Jack nodded.

"That's what I thought." He shook his head at him. "I'm late for work… I'll see you when I come home"

With that, Jack turned around and walked out of the kitchen, leaving a fuming Troy behind.

As hard it was to admit it, he needed Jack. And not because he felt any kind of affection towards him, but because of his money. Troy hated his father and wanted nothing but to leave and never come back, to never know anything about him again, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew he wouldn't survive more than a week on his own. As soon as he can maintain himself economically, he's out of there.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued. <strong>

**AGAIN! SO, SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT! :/ I'll try to update sooner next time! I promise! **

**Forgive me? **

**Sorry for Any grammar and spelling mistakes! And sorry that it was kind of boring, but take it as a fill up chapter, okay? **

_**Please**_** leave a review behind!**

**Xoxox Mary. **


	7. Forbidden Fruit

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Six_

**Hey Guys! Sorry again for the wait! I know! I suck! I had no idea how to write this chapter and I had to write two scripts (by myself ¬¬) and learn a poem for my theatre class… I just couldn't concentrate when I had time to write (which wasn't that much). Again! I'm deeply sorry! T_T Feel free to treat me as your punching bag with your reviews! xD **

**Anyway! You can always do that after you read! :P So please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**!**

* * *

><p>Right. Smart idea to go to the store walking. She should've taken her dad's car. What was she thinking? Oh right! About Troy!<p>

She huffed as she struggled to keep up her balance, holding 5 heavy plastic bags in each hand. How did her simple 7 thing-list become into this huge torture? All she needed to buy was milk, cheese, bread, cereal, shampoo, apple juice and soup; but of course she had to think that flour for pancakes would be good for breakfast for the next day, and also some honey to go with them; she remembered they ran out of butter too, and toothpaste and chlorine and that she needed a new sponge for the dishes –that lead her to buy some dish soap and a dishcloth.

At least her house was just around the corner. Just a few more steps and she'd be home. God, her arms hurt! She couldn't feel her fingers anymore! She also hoped that she hadn't dislocated her shoulder. The chlorine's pretty heavy; why did she have to go for the 3 liter bottle? Damn that freaking offer of 30 percent off!

Gabriella sighed tiredly as she placed all the supermarket bags over the deck of her porch –or more like dropped them- and dug inside her purse for her house keys. Once she found them, she heard her neighbor, Dr. Danforth- a.k.a Chad's mom-, calling for her.

"Hello Gabriella!" She greeted her, walking up the stairs of Gabriella's porch.

The brunette turned around and smiled politely at the African-American woman that was wearing dark blue scrubs and a lab coat. "Good morning, Dr. Danforth. How are you?"

"I'm good sweetie, thank you." She smiled back. "And you?"

"Fine, thanks. Just coming back from the store!" she giggled.

"I can see that!" she giggled too, noticing the plastic bags on the floor. "Hey, can I ask you a favor?" she bit her lower lip hopefully as she stared at her son's friend. This woman liked to go straight to the point.

Gabriella frowned, nodding her head. "Of course. Is everything alright?"

Dr. Danforth smiled kindly at her. "Yes sweetie, everything's fine." She sighed. "It's just that… Chad went out with his friends and forgot to take Calah out for a walk, and right now I need to attend someone at the hospital, and I'm already running late and-"

"I'll take care of it, Dr. Danforth." Gabriella smiled. "Don't worry."

Dr. Danforth sighed relieved and beamed up at Gabriella; avoiding a few bags, she launched herself at the brunette and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're a life savior!" Gabriella giggled and hugged her back.

"It's no problem, it's not like I have anything important to do, today!" she joked and they pulled back.

Dr. Danforth smiled at her. "You're great! Too bad, you're only Chaddy's friend!" She sighed and Gabriella's eyes widened slightly. Dr. Danforth laughed at her expression. "I would say I'm joking, but I would be lying." She winked and then sighed. "Well, I gotta go! The spare key's under the mat." She said as she turned around and ran down the stairs of the porch and to her car. "Thank you again!" She yelled before getting inside and driving off.

Gabriella blinked a little startled. That freaked her out a little; especially considering that Dr. Danforth knew that her son had a girlfriend and that _that_ girlfriend was Gabriella's friend. She shuddered at the idea of dating Chad.

"No, ew." She concluded and turned around, inserting the key –that was still in her hand- in the key hole and opening her door. Sure, he was a great friend but… no; he's simply not her type. Besides… her attention was centered on another certain teenage boy who wouldn't leave her mind for just a second.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Bolton…" Annie said, trying to get Troy's attention as she quit scrubbing the dishes and turned around to look at him. He looked up from the kitchen island.<p>

"Yes, Annie?" he asked with a bored tone in his voice. He was resting his head on his palm while tapping the table with his fingers of the other hand, boringly. He looked like he would fall asleep by any minute now.

Annie sighed. "Uhm… you're sort of… disturbing me with so much pattering; could you please, stop?" she wondered.

Troy rolled his eyes, stopping his _I-don't-have-anything-else-better-to-do-so-I-just-tap-till-I-think-of-something _pattering. "Well, you suggest me something better to do."

"Homework?" She arched an eyebrow at him, only to be responded with the same action from him.

"You've got to be kidding me." He mocked.

Annie rolled her eyes. "Read, then?" She tried again, turning back around to her duty, now that the disturbing sound had stopped.

"Annie, I think I've read every book in this house." He huffed, looking back down to the table and drawing circles with his finger. "And I hated all of them…"

"Then go watch some T.V like a normal teenager." She huffed herself.

"You go find me something interesting on it, and then you let me know." He answered smartly.

The brunette gritted her teeth in annoyance; she liked Troy, but… he could be such a pain in the ass when he was acting like a jerk. That usually happened every day, since every day he fought with his dad. She sighed as she shook her head; she didn't understand why they hated each other so much, or at least why Troy hated _him _so much. Shouldn't someone's death, bring people closer?

"Don't you want to go outside and play basketball in your backyard or something?" she suggested. "You've got a pretty good hoop out there…"

Troy tensed a little. "No" he mumbled and shook his head. His stomach twisted a little just by the thought of the hoop installed in his backyard; it's not necessary to say why he despised that thing.

Annie blew a piece of hair out of her face in frustration, not picking up the tone in Troy's voice at the mention of the unused basketball hoop. Then she came up with an idea and she smiled. She dried her hands with the dishcloth and took out a little paper from her pocket. She turned around and walked up to Troy.

"Want something to do?" She asked, while placing the piece of paper in front of Troy. "Go get me this stuff for dinner…"

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "Seriously?"

She nodded. "Go make yourself useful." She smirked playfully and Troy rolled his eyes as he stood up. He took the little paper and gave it a look before stuffing it into his pocket.

"Alright, alright…" He mumbled. "Nice of you to try to get rid of me…" he said sarcastically, making Annie roll her eyes.

"Drama queen…" She mumbled to herself and Troy narrowed his eyes at her, having just heard what she said.

"Cow!" he shot back and chuckled when Annie gaped at him.

She narrowed her eyes. "Just go before I call you something that will make me get fired!" she hissed and Troy continued to chuckle as he turned around and exited the kitchen.

Annie shook her head in disbelief. That boy's gonna drive her crazy someday.

* * *

><p>Gabriella sighed tiredly after she finished putting away all the supermarket stuff. She was already craving for the comfort of her living room couch when she remembered that she had to take Chad's dog out for a walk, since the stupid <em>Super Star<em> went out with his friends of the basketball team and forgot to do it himself. She made a mental note to herself: kick his ass when she sees him. The only reason she was doing his 'chores' was because his mother had asked her nicely.

She walked over to her father's office and knocked on the slightly ajar door, opening it a little further and sticking her head inside.

"Hey, dad?" She asked quietly after she saw him typing furiously on his keyboard. He was probably making another job request in that website that in the moment she couldn't remember the name of.

He didn't look up as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "_¿Qué pasó, linda?"_ **(What is it, honey?) **

"Dr. Danforth asked me if I could take their dog out for a walk, so I'll be back in an hour. Is that okay?"

He continued to type. "Yeah, have fun." He mumbled. Gabriella wondered if he had really listened to her at all, but she shrugged it off, knowing that he was busy; she hoped that a job offer would appear soon.

"Thanks, dad. I'll see you later." She said and stepped out of the office before closing the door behind her. She huffed; she wasn't in the mood to be dragged around by a dog. She just came back from the store carrying 10 bags and her arms and legs were killing her. It was definitely the last time she went to the store walking and the last time she agreed to take over Chad's 'chores'.

She walked upstairs to her room to grab her iPod –that was resting over her desk, next to her laptop. Once she grabbed it, she stuffed it into her jeans' pocket and when she went to turn around and leave, something caught her eye in the corner of her room, next to her bookshelf.

She smirked as an idea popped into her brain. Maybe she didn't have to make that much effort.

Gabriella walked into Chad's house. She could hear the dog barking from the backyard and she sighed, readjusting her skates over her shoulder. She walked into the kitchen and towards the door that lead to the backyard; Calah's leash was hanging on some sort of hook next to the door. She took it and she opened the door.

Gabriella squealed when a huge German Shepherd jumped into her and started licking her face. Luckily the brunette was strong and the dog didn't tackle her down to the floor. She started giggling. She loved dogs.

"You know, for being a _supposed_ Guardian Dog, you're quite friendly," She told Calah, pushing her down to the floor and rubbing her ears. "Wanna go out for a walk?" She giggled when Calah barked in excitement; dogs tend to learn a few words besides their names… like –food, eat, ball, walk, etc, etc.

"Of course you do…" The brunette smiled and put the leash on Calah. "Let's go, girl…"

After they stepped out of the house, Calah waited obediently as Gabriella locked the door behind them and then sat down on one of the steps of the porch to put her skates on; she had noticed that Calah was well trained and wouldn't drag her around like she had expected, but she still thought that putting on her skates while giving her a walk would be fun.

The brunette stood up and pulled on Calah's leash. "Come on!"

And then the 'obedient' German Shepherd launched herself excitedly down the street, making the beautiful teen squeal in fear as she was pulled by the strong dog.

"BAD DOG, CALAH! I'M GONNA TELL YOUR MOTHER!" she screamed, making some of the neighbors –that were walking down the street- to look at her and laugh.

* * *

><p>Troy walked out of the supermarket with everything that Annie had asked him for, in the shopping cart. He walked peacefully to his car and took out his keys, pressing a button so the trunk would open and lift itself up. Troy placed everything inside and then closed it, walking over to the driver's seat. Okay… he spent half an hour shopping. Now what?<p>

He was going to get home, help Annie unpack the supermarket bags, piss her off a little… and then? He would go back to tapping the table with his fingers boringly and continue to piss off his cook. Yeah… after working out, he didn't have a lot to do afterwards.

The blue eyed teen drove into his driveway and honked, making Annie know that he was back. He turned off his car and Annie and two of the housemaids –Nicole and Isabelle- came out to help with the groceries.

He rolled his eyes; didn't they know that they made him look like a spoiled little rich kid that couldn't do anything? Troy stepped out the car.

"Girls, give me a break! You're making me look like a lazy ass!" he narrowed his eyes at his employees. Annie scoffed while the housemaids blinked at him perplexed.

"Uhm… you wish us not to help?" Isabelle asked confused.

"That's our job, Mr. Bolton." Nicole continued.

Troy rolled his eyes again. "I know, I'm not stupid." He sighed and looked at them. "Weren't you doing something else?"

The housemaids looked at each other and then back at their boss.

"We were cleaning the pool…" Nicole answered.

"Then go finish that, I'll take over the grocery bags. Okay?" he arched an eyebrow at them and they nodded.

"Yes, Mr. Bolton…" they chorused together and then turned around, getting back into the house.

Troy turned to Annie and arched an eyebrow at her too. She shook her head at him. "What?" he questioned.

"Nothing." She rolled her eyes and walked over to the trunk. "You're not getting rid of me; the kitchen is my job!"

Troy smirked a little as he opened the trunk, pressing the same button from before and walked next to Annie. "I wasn't planning to get rid of you; I like to piss you off…"

The cook rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Bolton. That's so thoughtful of you…" she said sarcastically, taking out a couple of bags and walking to the house.

He chuckled to himself and took two plastic bags before following Annie.

"CALAH!" Troy heard someone yell. He was closing his trunk after they had finished taking out the last few bags and he turned around to the familiar voice.

"CALAH!" Gabriella yelled for the thousandth time, trying to make the dog stop as she pulled the leash, but with no toehold… it was almost impossible. She tried keeping up with the dog, but she was almost falling down; she was_ too_ excited. Almost like it had been long since she last went out for a walk. When was the last time that Chad took her out? Gabriella was going to murder him!

The brunette watched how Calah came to a stop and she took advantage of that moment to hold on to a tree. She hadn't realized how tired she really was; adrenaline's such a bitch! She sighed, trying to catch her breath. Gabriella didn't notice how Calah began sniffing into the air; German Shepherds were especially known for their fine sense of smell, well besides sheepherding. Calah turned to look at the other side of the street and she yipped excitedly as she recognized a certain person.

Gabriella turned to look at her curiously, but didn't get the chance to figure out what was going on, when Calah launched herself across the street, dragging the brunette with her again. "CALAH!"

The leash slipped out of her hands and her eyes widened. _FUCK!_

Then…

She didn't know… what… happened… exactly.

She felt how her body collided against something hard and she grunted, feeling as she tumbled down to the ground, over _that_ 'something' she had crashed against with. Gabriella heard Calah bark in the background as she groaned. She tried pushing herself off the thing, when she heard another grunt apart from hers. The brunette fluttered her brown eyes open and she felt them go wide when she realized that she hadn't crashed against '_something_'… but more like a '_someone_'.

Troy rubbed the back of his head; a pained expression on his face as he moaned. He was sort of… bewildered. What had just happened? And why is a dog yipping by his right ear? He felt like he was just been hit by a truck!

He heard a small gasp being emitted from above him and he opened his eyes. Blue met brown. _Oh_. His eyes widened for a second. Now he remembered –Gabriella crashed against him.

Gabriella felt the heat rise up her neck and cheeks when Troy's eyes met hers. _Oh boy, how embarrassing._ She thought.

Troy's heart pounded against his chest as he stared up at the brunette. He was… pretty shocked, startled even, but he couldn't say that he was mad or something similar to that. He couldn't describe what he was feeling exactly, because he was… somewhat at peace and at the same time… he was nervous. Her curly hair was cascading around her face, making a perfect curtain around the two of them; he had to fight the urge to tuck some of it behind her ear.

"Uhm…uh…" she stuttered, feeling hotter on the cheeks. "Hi." She articled and mentally slapped herself. _Idiot!_

Troy blinked, snapping out of his weird trance. He cleared his throat. "Hi." He greeted back.

"Hi." She repeated. "Troy, hi, uhm… uh… hey… uh… how are you?" She mentally smacked herself again as she gave him an embarrassed smile.

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "Uh… I uhm… I'm pretty good. Uh… you?"

"Good, good." She nodded, tucking her hair behind her left ear. "Uhm… I uh… I guess we did see each other today, after all…" she commented shyly, giggling nervously.

Troy couldn't help but chuckle at her nervousness. "I guess we did…" he agreed.

The brunette cleared her throat. "I uh… I should probably get off you, right?"

Troy nodded his head. "That would probably be the best thing to do…" he agreed. Gabriella nodded her head and got off him, finding it a little bit difficult since she was wearing a pair of heavy skates on her feet. She sat next to him and Troy sat up straight.

Calah yipped, getting the attention of the two teens, as she jumped over Troy and licked his face. Troy's eyes went wide as he fell backwards a little as his hand flew to the dog's back. Gabriella's eyes imitated Troy's.

"Calah!" she scolded, grabbing the dog's collar and pulling her off of Troy. "Bad girl! You're a bad girl!"

Troy blinked shocked as he recognized the dog's name; Chad's dog's name. He watched as Calah lowered her ears in embarrassment as she sat down in front of Gabriella, barely moving the tip of her tail. The poor thing knew she did wrong.

"You said her name's Calah?" he questioned.

Gabriella looked up at him with a confused expression on her face. "Yeah. Why?"

"As in Chad's dog?" he asked again.

She nodded her head and arched an eyebrow at him; how did he know that Calah was Chad's dog?

Troy ignored Gabriella's questioning glare as he stared at the dog with an amused and small smile –something that made Gabriella's interior feel strangely warm; the night before she was wondering if he ever truly smiled and now she was being witness of… something close to a real smile.

The blue eyed teen scratched the back of Calah's ears and she waved her tail happily; he hasn't seen her since she was a puppy. He was surprised that she had recognized him. It made him feel… good.

"She seems to like you…" the brunette smiled, letting Calah over Troy again. Troy chuckled, pushing the dog off him a little as she started licking his face again. "A lot."

He rubbed Calah's neck and pulled at the sides of her cheeks, making her look like she was smiling; he chuckled. Gabriella frowned with an amazed smile; maybe she was just being paranoid… but it looked like they knew each other. She bit her lower lip thoughtfully. That would explain why Calah had dragged her over to Troy. Hmm…

She could almost feel the engines of her brain start running.

Her mind worked quickly, placing all the pieces together. She made some sort of mental list with all the facts that her head was thinking of… –she couldn't exactly say '_randomly_', because there had to be a reason of why she was thinking about them.

-Calah running up to Troy, almost as if she knew exactly who he was.

-Troy's amused smile when he heard Calah's name and knowing she was Chad's dog.

-Chad's pissed off look when he told Taylor to stop grumbling about Troy.

-Chad knowing about Troy's mother's death.

It took the total of 10 seconds to come to the conclusion that those two used to be friends. Damn! If only there was a way to prove her hypothesis; she knew Troy enough to know that he wouldn't give her any answers. Well… she could always try, though. If not, she could always ask Chad.

"You know her…" she stated more than questioned. Troy turned to her with a questioning look, still rubbing Calah's ears.

"What?"

"You know Calah…" she explained.

Troy shook his head, frowning. "No, I don't." He denied. It was almost like a reflex, now.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you don't. That's why you knew she was Chad's dog," The brunette commented sarcastically. "And Calah is kind of aggressive with strangers; she doesn't run up to them, making them crash with their school's classmates." She smirked playfully. Okay, maybe she lied –just a little-, because she never exactly treated Calah before that morning.

"Uh…" Troy cleared his throat. "Maybe I'm an exception."

Gabriella nodded. "Okay. But how did you know that she's Chad's dog?" she arched an eyebrow at him.

"Uhm…" Troy pondered. "I-I… I guessed." He said, kicking himself mentally. _Clever, you idiot!_

"Sure." Gabriella nodded sarcastically. "Let's pretend I actually believe that. What's the big deal of admitting that you used to be friends with Chad?" she arched an eyebrow at him, honestly curious.

Troy rolled his eyes and sighed frustrated. Did she always _need_ to know everything? He shook his head, still staring at the German Shepherd in front of him. That girl was starting to get into his nerves.

"Has anyone told you that you're a nosey pain in the ass?" he asked bitterly. "That's none of your business, Cupcake."

"It's Gabriella." she corrected him for what felt like the thousandth time, narrowing her eyes at him. "And I'm sorry for finding it abnormal that you can't even say 'Oh! Chad was my friend, that's why I know Calah', _Cinnamon Roll_!" she shook her head at him. "I don't get what's the big deal about that! No one's asking you why you stopped being friends or something!"

Troy glared angrily at her. "Who the fuck do you think you are, huh?" he asked. He started feeling a sick feeling in his stomach; he felt it whenever he was getting annoyed and upset.

"Excuse me?" she blinked, shocked.

"Who the fuck do you think you are to be nosing into my life? You don't know me, Cupcake! Who gave you the right to be interrogating me?" he growled, pushing Calah away lightly, so he could stand up.

"I'm not interrogating you!" she contradicted him, shaking her head at him.

Troy rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he glared down at her. "Of course you aren't." He said sarcastically. "You're just overanalyzing me, being pushy, and you like to question everything I say and the reasons of everything I _won't_ say." He narrowed his eyes. "You're kind of a stalker! Why do you have to get to know me? Did you ever wonder if _I_ wanted to get to know you?" He asked, emphasizing the 'I'.

Gabriella stared up at him in shock. She blinked a couple of times and Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "I- I… I don't know, okay?" she said and Troy scoffed mockingly. The brunette felt her stomach start to crumple up in anger and she wanted nothing but to punch him right on the nose. She hated when people made fun of her. She tried standing up but she stumbled with the wheels of her skates, making her land back on her butt. Troy chuckled at her and the anger in Gabriella's stomach increased.

"You're an asshole, Troy Bolton!" she roared.

He scoffed again, not getting intimidated by Gabriella's aggressive behavior. "Tell me something I don't know!"

"Why are you such a jerk?" she yelled, annoyed. If she ever gets to stand up, she's going to choke him with her bare hands!

"Why are you such a bitch?" he yelled back. Gabriella growled furiously and tried standing up again, only to stumble back down to the ground. Troy smirked mockingly down at her and laughed.

Gabriella felt her cheeks go red in anger. The usually sweet and kind look in her eyes was gone and was replaced with a murdering glare, and the innocent and shy smile was replaced with animalistic bared teeth. She has never been a patient person, but she tried her hardest to stay calmed; but Troy seemed to bring out the worst of her.

The blue eyed boy continued to smirk down at her as she breathed heavily. He was so pissed off at her and it felt so nice to see her this angry without her being able to do anything but slip over and over and over again –it amused him that she hadn't thought of taking her skates off, yet. He also felt proud; maybe after this, she would finally leave him alone. He was acting like a total asshole, after all. He couldn't understand why she was so interested in him, why she was so curious about him. Maybe he should feel… flattered, but the truth is that it annoyed him, it angered him, it made him feel invaded... but mostly, he felt vulnerable. He had _wanted_ to tell her, it was almost rolling out of his tongue, but…he completely restrained himself from it. He felt that if he told her something, even if it was the most insignificant detail, he would be soon confessing to her that he killed his mother. And he couldn't allow it.

Gabriella took a deep breath. The anger was clouding her mind and she wasn't thinking straight. She tried to focus down on her skates. She didn't want to take them off because that meant that she had to walk around in her Hello Kitty socks… and the brunette didn't want that; but she didn't see any other solution to help herself stand up and the asshole in front of her wasn't going to help her.

Troy didn't say anything, but he continued to mock her with his silent smirk. She felt the tingly feeling on her fingers that she got whenever she wanted to hurt someone; but she got them occupied on the strings of her skates.

Troy chuckled. "Took you long enough…"

Gabriella gritted her teeth as she felt her stomach crumple harder in anger. _Calm down, Gabriella. Calm down!_ She thought as she took off her first skate. She moved to the other one, biting down hard on her lower lip, trying to release some tension.

"No, wait! It actually _surprised_ me that you thought of it by your own!" he continued with his rude comments.

Gabriella started counting from 1 to 10 and backwards in her head, trying to remain calm; he was _so_ looking for it!

"Troy…" she said with a warning voice. "You don't want to see me pissed … so I suggest that you _shut up_…" she spoke every word slowly and carefully as she pulled her other skate off.

Troy laughed out loud at that one. "Sure! Of course!"

Okay, that was it for her patience.

Gabriella slammed the skate down on the pavement next to her and stood up, throwing her clenched fist towards Troy's face. Her eyes widened when he caught it with a swift move and a smirk on his face; but the shocker didn't last long and she threw her other fist down to his stomach, but once again… he caught it. The smirk on his face grew wider.

"You don't move fast enough, Montez." He said, looking directly into her muddy brown eyes.

Normally, she simply would have kneed him in the groin and leave him there moaning in pain –actually she could feel the peace within her just by the pure thought of it– but … she forgot how to move her leg up when her eyes found his. Damn those eyes! Why did they have to be so… so… so blue? They practically hypnotized her and, in that moment, she _hated_ it! She wanted to hurt him… but at the same time…she didn't.

Troy held her tightly by the wrists as he stared right back at her. He was still pissed, but… _like always_, he couldn't help but start noticing the little details in her; the way her cheeks were tainted with a shade of red –of anger, of course –, or the way her forehead wrinkled as she frowned, or the way her brown eyes had turned a little darker, almost making them seem like they were black. Troy didn't like that color in them. A small part of his head was thinking of how cute she actually looked when she was angry; he should piss her off more often.

He sighed. He wanted to be mad at her… but right now, he felt everything but mad; maybe a little frustrated and annoyed, but… certainly not mad.

Neither of them quite understood. They couldn't understand their bodies' reactions towards each other; one moment they wanted to bite each other's heads off and… the next… they were still a little bit worked up, but… they felt calmer, even when Gabriella's breathing wouldn't slow down.

Without any shoes on, she was way shorter than him; she could fit perfectly in Troy's arms if he ever hugged her. The handsome teen couldn't stop himself from thinking about it –of how it would feel to have her wrapped up safely in his arms and have his chin resting comfortably over her head; he realized he was just close enough to do it, he had her right there under his power.

_Just this once._ A part of him whispered. _Just this once… and then you can go back to your original plan_. He could feel his arms tense up a little as he fought against himself; he had to remain strong. He had to! But the temptation was getting the best out of him. Gabriella was definitely his forbidden fruit.

Gabriella felt how Troy slowly started letting go of her wrists, but her eyes never left his. She continued to stare up at him, not really minding about anything else. She had forgotten about her anger, her stupid hypothesis that had gotten them into this fight, about Calah –who had forgotten herself about the two teens and began eating the flowers and grass of Troy's lawn–, her socks getting dirty, her skates being somewhere dropped on the ground, and definitely about her self-control when her hands landed over his chest.

_Oh, screw it!_ Troy thought. _For now… just… screw it!_ He was tired. He didn't want to think, he didn't want to fight; he just wanted to hold this girl in his arms, just for the sake of it, not even wondering _why_. So that's what he did; he let go of her wrists and placed his hands on the small of her back, pulling her towards him. He was surprised when Gabriella didn't fight or pull back, and he liked it. He liked the way his arms wrapped completely around her waist and he liked to look down at her. She fit perfectly, almost like his arms and chest were especially made for her.

Gabriella went back to being her shy self. She was very aware that Troy was holding her against him and that it was weird, considering that moments ago he was yelling at her about being nosey and pushy; but she couldn't find a reason to pull away from him. She didn't want to. She was happy there.

"Are you going to kiss me?" The brunette asked quietly as she looked into Troy's blue orbs, with an innocent look in her eyes. She didn't know where the question came out from; she didn't even know how she had the courage to voice it out, but she felt the need to do it. She wanted the stupid and moronic asshole to kiss her.

Troy's heart sped up at her words and his eyes widened a bit. He would be lying if he said that the thought never crossed his mind. He stared down to her plump lips and then up to her eyes, before his eyes drifted off back to her lips. Troy passed his tongue over his dry lips; he didn't even nod to answer her question, and before he knew it, he was already leaning down to meet her lips. Yes, he was definitely not thinking about it anymore.

The truth is that… they didn't care. They didn't care that they barely met a week and a half ago and they didn't care that only 5 minutes ago they wanted to kill each other. All they wanted to do was kiss each other and don't give a fuck about the rest of the world. Yes! Fuck everything else!

Gabriella's eyes shut closed as she felt Troy's breath on her face, causing Goosebumps to form in her arms and the hair of her nape to stand up. He was just _so_ close; they both liked the proximity. That's when Gabriella felt it; she felt the way Troy's lips began slowly brushing against hers, almost like in a teasing way. He smirked a little when he heard a faint moan escape in protest from Gabriella's throat; she never liked teasing. Troy pressed his lips slightly against Gabriella's and pulled back a little before leaning back in.

But before he could kiss her the way he wanted… that's when his stupid cook ruined the moment by clearing her throat.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**IMPORTANT: Hey peeps! Liked it? I… still don't like it very much, but… if you did, then I'm happy. :D I still think it was a little bit soon for them to kiss, but… I simply didn't want to re-write this chapter. Besides, I kinda liked how Troy dropped his barrier for a moment. Don't ya?**

**Yeah! Anyway! That's not what I really wanted to say. What I wanted to say is that next week I'm starting school again (FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!) and with homework and Theatre class and all that crap, I won't have time to update so often, so I please BEG you to be patient with me. Can you do that? **

**I promise I'll try to update next chapter before I go back to school.**

**Sooo…. It's 2 AM (almost 3 actually xD), and I'm supposed to be waking up in 5 hours xD… I need my rest :P**

**SORRY FOR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING MISTAKES! I'LL CHECK IT TOMORROW AFTER I WAKE UP! xD**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Xoxoxo Mary. **


	8. Heart Locket

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Seven_

* * *

><p>That was one of those moments where Gabriella wished she was in some cheesy and lame Soap Opera so that some kind of dramatic music would come up, cut the embarrassing scene, go into senseless commercials about chips and sodas, and then come back to a more relaxed part of her life, having cut the awkward moment and not having to come back to it <em>at all.<em>

But no…

Life's just that cruel.

She looked away blushing after the two of them had pulled away from each other, just as quick as if some kind of electricity had shocked through them.

Calah was comfortably lying besides Gabriella, still chewing on a little leaf that she had found, and the young brunette had found interest in her as she wiggled her toes uncomfortably. She envied her; she was so clueless to the whole thing going on in there.

She wondered who the lady that had interrupted them was. She didn't even know her, and she already loathed her. It's not necessary to say that Gabriella hated that her little moment with Troy was totally ruined.

His lips were just so… so…

She couldn't even find a word to describe them. Just that little peck that he had managed to place on her lips had set her whole body on fire. That's how good it was. She wanted to whine! Now he was probably going back to his stupid shell and never come near her again. Ugh! How much she despised that woman! She couldn't even kiss him the way she wanted to!

She was going to kill her!

_He_ was going to kill her! Troy thought bitterly as he blushed furiously and scratched the back of his neck nervously, not really wanting to meet Annie's gaze.

No! He wanted to kill himself! He was way stupider than he had thought. He didn't know where to start listing the great amount of idiotic actions he did in the last five minutes. Allowing his stupid hormones to think instead of his brain; wrapping his arms around her gorgeous body; lose himself in her marvelous brown eyes; _kissing her_!

But there was one that topped his list: _liking it!_

He _liked_ it! He liked _her_! Everything she had done! He liked the way her fingers danced nervously across his chest, or the way her almost black eyes turned back to their natural color as he leaned over; he liked the way she groaned when he brushed his lips against hers…

And he liked the way his heart burst into flames with the little peck he was able to place over her plump lips.

He was completely mesmerized by her, and he was utterly angry with himself for being so.

The worst part was that he was going to hear Annie ramble on and on about this particular _encounter_ –if he could call it that – for a long time.

Annie arched an eyebrow at the two teens, placing her hands over her hips. She eyed them curiously; they both seemed to be in some kind of trance as they blushed. She pressed her lips together for a moment, trying to suppress a laugh that was dying to come out.

Now she knew why Troy was taking so long.

If she wasn't so amused with the whole situation, Annie would be probably thinking of how the hell she didn't notice any strange behavior in Troy before. If she may recall, he was acting pretty normal, like his usual self; there was nothing out of the ordinary, really. Then how come she didn't see _this_ coming? Troy having a girlfriend? She couldn't believe that herself, even when she was being judge of it.

"Well… this is interesting," Annie smiled at Troy and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"D-don't you have kitchen duty t-to do?" he stuttered nervously and annoyed.

The cook arched an eyebrow. "I do."

"Then get to work…" he said between clenched teeth.

"I will… but I need the steak that you were supposed to bring inside," her lips began twisting up in a smirk. "I was wondering what was taking you so long, but…" Troy narrowed his eyes again. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Mr. Bolton."

Both Troy's and Gabriella's eyes went wide in shock. Gabriella began coughing awkwardly and Troy couldn't get even redder while scratching his elbow nervously. _Oh, she's so fired!_ He thought.

"No! S-she… she's n-not my uh… uhm… my-"

"Are you going to stay for dinner, Ms.?" Annie's smirk grew wider and she turned to Gabriella, not giving Troy the chance to finish his sentence. She knew he would deny everything.

"What?" Gabriella blinked, turning to look at the cook. "Uhm… I uh…" she cleared her throat and folded her arms across her chest awkwardly. The older brunette eyed the young one for a moment and smiled; she was pretty. "Uhm … I… don't think I should-"

"She won't…" Troy answered for her and both women turned to look at him; Troy ignored Gabriella's penetrating gaze and focused on his soon to be fired cook. "I-I dropped the steak," he said. "So… there's nothing to offer to her."

Annie rolled her eyes. "There's pasta left from yesterday," she crossed her arms and then frowned. "Wait! How come you dropped it? Where is it?"

Troy turned to look at Gabriella for a second. "I don't know. It flew out of my hand," he narrowed his eyes at her and the girl blushed embarrassed; she was definitely going to kill Chad for not taking his dog out himself.

"It flew out of your hand," the cook repeated, arching an eyebrow at him. "How the hell did that happen?"

Gabriella cleared her throat, trying to avoid any other possible… awkward moment. "I should probably go," she said, turning around and picking up her skates from the lawn. That was when Annie noticed that the girl wasn't wearing any shoes.

Gabriella took Calah's leash and pulled it a little so the dog would look up at her. "Let's go girl," she said and the German Shepherd stood up, forgetting about the leaf that she was chewing on. The brunette turned to look at Troy and like if she hadn't blushed enough already, her cheeks became tainted with a heavy shade of red.

"Uhm…" she hesitated. What could she possibly say to the guy she almost kissed? "I… uh… will I see you Monday?" she asked with a shy tone of voice. That'll work.

Troy cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Yes," he nodded his head, his eyes never meeting hers.

She gave him a half smile, her heart skipping a beat in excitement. "Okay," she turned to the cook and gave her a nod in acknowledge. "It was nice meeting you…"

"Annie," she filled in, sticking out her hand.

Gabriella took it and gave it a firm shake. "Gabriella," she said back and smiled, still a little bit embarrassed.

"Nice to meet you too."

The brown eyed teen smiled politely and gave Troy one last shy glance. "Bye," she whispered and with that, she turned around and walked away –having forgotten that she wasn't wearing any shoes at all– with the German Shepherd walking by her side.

Troy turned around with his hands deep into his jeans' pockets. Like always, he couldn't help but watch her walk away, his eyes immediately trailing down to her bum and admiring the way her hips swayed from left to right naturally. He smiled involuntarily. _Oh God, why do you hate me? _He thought. _This is worse than torture._

When the teenage beauty disappeared around the corner, he felt a teasing nudge on his arm and he turned to his right in time to see a playful smirk adorning his cook's face. The heat came crawling back up his neck and cheeks as he narrowed his eyes, annoyed.

"You're fired," he said to her before turning around and entering the house.

Annie rolled her eyes. "Fifth time this month," she mumbled sarcastically and followed after him.

* * *

><p>Gabriella bit her lower lip as she walked down the street without paying any attention to where she was going; all her thoughts were obviously occupied by the recent events. Her stomach was in knots and her heart would not slow down with anything. She was… very jumpy. She couldn't stop thinking about the unnatural current of electricity that had shot through her veins when his lips touched hers, making all the hairs in her body stand up. The feeling was uncomfortable, but… she couldn't help but like it. She wanted to feel it again; feel Troy's arms around her waist, his sweet breath against her face and of course… his lips.<p>

She kept on walking down the street, still unaware that her perfectly washed Hello-Kitty white socks were getting dirty.

Her thoughts began taking a different way when she thought about how calm Calah was behaving. What had happened between Chad and Troy? Yes, they had been friends, obviously. But…

There were so many questions and… she knew one person that would answer them, and it wasn't exactly Troy Bolton. Maybe she was being a little bit paranoid with so much wondering; she has never been a nosey person… unless it required it. And to be honest, she couldn't care less at that moment; she wanted to get to know Troy and when Gabriella wants something, she gets it. That's how much of a stubborn ass she was.

When Gabriella turned around the corner of her street, she saw a blue Honda parking outside of her neighbor's house. Her eyes instantly narrowed; Chad was home. To be honest with herself, she didn't know if to kill him for getting her into that awkward situation or love him because Troy had almost kissed her.

As she walked up the stairs of Chad's porch, she noticed that her shoes were no longer where she had left them. Her eyes went wide as she realized something and looked down to her feet; she groaned.

"This isn't going to come out easily," she murmured to herself as she twisted her right foot, analyzing the brown stain on the sole of it. She let out a puff of air and Calah began whining as she sat in front of the door, scratching it with her paw. Gabriella rolled her eyes and dug inside her pocket, searching for the spare key.

She didn't have time to take it out when the door opened and Calah yipped, launching herself at her owner.

"Calah! There you are girl!" Chad said excitedly as he rubbed her neck and set her down on the floor. "Where have you been?" he asked, patting the dog's back and stomach.

"I took her out for a walk," Gabriella said and the afro haired guy looked up.

"Oh hey, Gabs!" Chad greeted her, a smile forming on his face with surprise. "I didn't know you took Calah out," he commented and the brunette's eyes narrowed again.

"Yeah, I'm sure," she walked forward and kneeled down in front of him and Calah, releasing the dog from the leash. "Your mom asked me to, since you, _Oh-So-Mighty-Prince_, forgot to do it," she teased him with an accusing glare.

Chad chuckled and scratched the back of his head embarrassed as both stood up. "Yeah, sorry…"

"It's the last time I do your chores Danforth!" Gabriella poked him on the shoulder with her finger. "You owe me!"

"No need to get mad!" he said, rubbing his shoulder. "Has someone ever told you that you're sort of aggressive?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I didn't poke you that hard!"

"Uh, you did," he nodded, narrowing his eyes at her.

She shrugged. "Well, you deserve it."

He scoffed. "Ah, really?"

"Yes."

"Oh, c'mon Gabriella! It wasn't like my mom asked you to wash my underwear!" he exclaimed.

The brunette pursed her lips. "Yeah, I guess that would've been worse than being dragged around by your dog and crashing into someone," she said more to herself than to the guy in front of her.

"What?" Chad snorted. "How come she…?" he didn't finish his question as his eyes landed on the pair of skates that hung over Gabriella's shoulder. "Ohhh!" he laughed. "Dude! That was a bad idea," he concluded, taking the skates from Gabriella's shoulder.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Yes, now I know. Thanks for the observation, Capitan Obvious!"

"No problem, Capitan Sarcasm," he smirked. "Well, it was actually a swell idea, it would've worked with any other dog rather than Calah," he chuckled.

The brunette let out a sigh. "If my arms weren't hurting enough before, I think they do now," she said, rubbing one of them, trying to soothe the muscle ache.

Chad shook his head, still chuckling. "I may have some painkillers. Wanna come in?" he asked, pointing behind him to his open door with his thumb.

Gabriella nodded. "Okay, sure," she shrugged and then followed her neighbor inside, Calah running ahead of them. She jumped over the couch but quickly got off when Chad yelled a loud _'Down!'_

Gabriella chuckled.

After Chad closed the door behind them, he noticed that his friend wasn't wearing any shoes. He laughed again and picked up a pair of green military Converse from the floor. Gabriella turned around at the sound of Chad's mocking laugh and arched an eyebrow at him questioningly.

"What?"

"I'm guessing these are yours," he answered with a smirk as he tossed the Converse at her.

She smiled as she caught them and let out a dramatic sigh. "Here they are!"

Chad shrugged. "I found them outside on the porch and thought I could sell them on e-bay," he said. "But since they are yours… I may give you a discount," he joked.

"Well, that's so sweet of you," she said, rolling her eyes but smiling at him.

"I know," he smirked and then sighed, rubbing his hands together. "So… painkillers?" he smiled at Gabriella and she nodded. "This way," he motioned her to follow him with his head and then he made his way to the kitchen.

Gabriella took a seat in one of the high chairs of the kitchen island and watched as her friend rummaged around in the cabinets and drawers, looking for the pills. Once he found them he poured her a glass of tap water and set down a couple of Advil pills in front of her. She bit her lips together as she thought. How should she start the interrogatory?

"There you go," Chad said, taking a seat across from her on a tall chair.

"Thank you, Chad," she said taking the pills from the counter and tossing them into her mouth.

"Sure."

The brunette took a sip of water and gulped the pills down. She sighed, placing the glass back down over the counter and looked up at Chad, who was staring at her, resting his cheek over his fist. She bit her lower lip as she traced the edge of the glass with her pointer finger.

"Hey, Chad?" she cleared her throat. "Could… I… ask you… something?"

He frowned curiously. "Of course."

Gabriella hesitated a little bit. "Uhm. I uh…" she paused. "You see… I... I-I was… wondering..."

"Yes?"

"I-It's kind of… inappropriate of me to ask you, but… uh… I-I… I'm kind of curious and uh-"

"Gabby, just ask me," Chad cut her off, rolling his eyes.

"W-what happened?" she asked and Chad arched an eyebrow at her vague question. Gabriella mentally smacked herself. Smart.

"What happened with what?" he asked, his brow furrowing with confusion.

"Uhm…" she sighed; this wasn't as easy as she thought. "What happened with you… and… well uhm… Troy?" she cleared her throat awkwardly and Chad froze.

* * *

><p>"Well, she's cute. I like her," Annie said, closing the door behind her and Troy rolled his eyes. "How come I didn't know you had a girlfriend?" she asked again with a teasing tone in her voice.<p>

"She's not my girlfriend," he grumbled.

"Of course, that's why you were kissing her," she rolled her eyes as she followed her boss to wherever he was going.

"I-I wasn't kissing her!" he denied, blushing furiously. "S-she g-got something in her e-eye and I was helping her," he lied.

"Uh huh," Annie nodded, smirking. "By kissing her."

"Didn't I tell you you were fired?" Troy asked her, pushing the white swinging door to the kitchen.

The cook followed. "Yes."

"Then what are you still doing here?" he opened one of the plastic bags that were over the bar and began taking out the groceries.

"I can't leave you without dinner," Annie grinned and Troy rolled his eyes. "If she isn't your girlfriend, what was she doing here then?" she arched an eyebrow, taking some stuff out of the plastic bags herself.

"I don't know! She stalks me!" he complained, getting annoyed with Annie's interrogatory.

She turned fully towards him and placed a hand over her hip as she leaned against the counter, giving Troy a look. "Well, for being your annoying stalker, you were sure happy to wrap your arms around her and…" she lifted her hand from her hip and made air quotes. "Help her with that thing in her eye," she smirked.

Troy's cheeks burned brightly as he turned to look at Annie with his mouth open, ready to bite back with a smartass comment –not a single sound came out. Annie arched an eyebrow at him with a playful smirk, knowing that she was right.

"Oh shut up!" Troy snapped at her, making his cook laugh and shake her head disbelieving.

The blue eyed boy couldn't feel any more embarrassed, annoyed, angry or ridiculed. So as soon as he finished unpacking his plastic bag, he called for Nicole. Annie stared at him questioningly as the blonde woman rushed into the kitchen.

"Yes, Mr. Bolton?" she said politely, with her hands behind her back. Troy fought the urge to roll his eyes at her; he found it ridiculous that the maids behaved that way.

"Finish helping Annie with the rest of the groceries, would you? I'm gonna go find the missing steak," he said.

Nicole nodded. "Yes, Mr. Bolton."

"Thank you," he said and then made his way out of the kitchen, leaving Annie shaking her head at him with a slight smirk on her face; it didn't amuse her that he had denied everything. Okay, maybe Gabriella wasn't his girlfriend, but Annie's known Troy since he was 7 years old; it was obvious that there was something there. She knew that he had a crush on that girl.

"Hey Nicole," Annie whispered.

"What?" she whispered back.

Annie leaned over. "Mr. Bolton's got a girlfriend," she smirked and Nicole gaped at her.

"Really?" she exclaimed unbelieving and Annie nodded with a grin.

Troy opened the front door, grumbling to himself about how Annie was getting out of line with her comments and questions. Who the hell does she think she is? His mother? She's way far of being his mother! She's only the cook, for crying out loud!

Who was he kidding? Even when there was some sort of… _boundary_ that didn't allow them to be friends, they were. In a weird way, they were. He's known the woman since he was 7 years old! Maybe his father didn't allow him to have any kind of… relationship with his employees, but… it was almost impossible to not have one with Annie; she was different.

But that didn't make her less annoying!

"Oooh, how come I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Mr. Bolton?" he mimicked her childishly, as he stepped out to the front yard. "She's cute! I like her!" he continued to mimic her and then he growled. "She's out of her mind. I would never date Gabriella, not in a million years," he mumbled to himself.

He began looking around the front yard for a plastic bag with a steak in it. Where could it possibly have fallen? He huffed. She just had to knock him down, didn't she? Not that he was complaining at the moment, but… the consequences weren't all too good for him. It got him an annoying cook busting his ass, a lost steak and the unforgivable moment of an almost kiss.

But oh boy, how good it felt to her over him. Every single curve, every single centimeter of clothed skin making contact with his own. The way her eyes sparkled with nerve and the way her cheeks heated up... were only one of the few factors that got his heart rising up at the speed of sound.

He wanted nothing but to feel her again, and at the same time… he wished he didn't –it was hard enough to control himself the first time, and he ended up failing. He didn't know what would happen if he got the chance to come_ that_ close to her again.

Troy's blue eyes scrutinized the edge of the bushes and every single millimeter of the lawn. He found no plastic bag; but he found something else.

He frowned and picked the object up from the grass. A necklace, it wasn't hard to identify what it was. He placed the small golden heart over his palm and passed his thumb over it, wiping the dirt off. A '_G_' was engraved on it; it took him no longer than two seconds to figure out that it was Gabriella's.

* * *

><p>"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Gabriella apologized after a few moments of silence, lowering her head in embarrassment.<p>

Chad blinked. "N-No!" he cleared his throat, shaking his head. "I-Its fine, uhm… uh… what… uh, uhm, what brought this up?" he asked, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Uhm… remember that I crashed into someone today?" she asked, not looking up from her glass of water. "That person was Troy…"

Chad leaned back against the back of his tall chair with amused eyes. "No shit."

She nodded. "Shit."

"You crashed into Troy," he repeated. "Dude…" Chad's serious and nervous behavior seemed to have disappeared quickly as the edges of his mouth twisted up, forming a teasing smirk.

Gabriella looked up from her glass and her eyebrows crunched up in confusion when she saw the unexpected smirk of Chad. "What?"

"You crashed into Troy," he chuckled and shook his head disbelieving. "Aw man! I wished I was there to see that!"

Gabriella's frown grew deeper. "It's not funny!"

Chad laughed anyways. "No, maybe not; but that must've been one good hell of a show!" he snorted.

Gabriella's cheeks started to heat up. "Stop it! It was awkward!"

The afro haired guy shook his head disbelieving, still chuckling. "I bet. He's got a mayor crush on you," he said, like it was the most obvious and simple thing in the world.

Gabriella blinked for a moment, processing Chad's words. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered around wildly, making it seem more like a swarm of bees instead of butterflies. The smile that crept up on her lips was inevitable.

"Really?" she asked, trying to hide the excitement in her voice. Chad arched an eyebrow at her, the smirk in his face growing. She cleared her throat. "I-I mean! H-How do you know?" she frowned.

Chad stared at her, the same knowing smirk adorning his face as he saw how Gabriella's cheeks got redder. "I've known the guy since I was 3 years old, Gabs. He used to be my best friend; I think I can tell when he likes a girl. And let me tell you, I haven't seen him this nervous around someone since the 2nd grade when Nelly Torres moved into town," he chuckled. "Besides, it's easy to tell when he sees you," he shrugged with a smirk.

Gabriella cocked her head to a side, questioningly. "But… how? I mean, all he does is bitch at me?"

"Exactly because of that," he chuckled. "Gabs, I don't know if you've noticed, but he tends to push people away," he said. Of course she knew that. "He's trying extra hard with you," he concluded.

"He is?" she frowned. She thought that he was like that with everyone; after all, no one came near him.

The guy rolled his eyes. "You know, Gabriella? For being a woman, you're quite clueless."

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not clueless! I just don't know him that well," she explained.

Chad gave her a teasing grin. "But you wished you did."

"Shut up," Gabriella shook her head at him and looked back down to her glass of water, trying to hide her red face with her curly hair. Chad rolled his eyes, but smiled.

"Hey! I'm not Taylor, you don't have to deny it with me," he tried to joke. Gabriella giggled a little and looked back up at him.

"Am I that obvious?" she smiled shyly and Chad nodded.

"Well, no one has ever tried to get near him since 4th grade, so… yeah… it's kind of obvious," he shrugged.

Gabriella sighed and scratched her forehead. "Well, that's embarrassing."

"Nah," he said, shaking his head. "It's cute!" he laughed, making Gabriella roll her eyes.

"It's not when he starts thinking that you're some sort of stalker," she said.

Chad shook his head in disbelief, still chuckling a little. "Trust me; he doesn't think you're a stalker. He's just trying to keep you away from him."

Gabriella frowned, frustration evident in her features. "Why does he do that?"

The afro haired guy looked at his friend for a moment, the joke that used to be there changing back into a serious atmosphere. He let out a sigh before lowering his head and biting his lips together.

"It's… a long story, Gabs," he said, sadness evident in his voice. You could tell that it was a rough subject for him, and it only intrigued Gabriella even more.

"I've got time," she said, leaning over the bar as well. "Well, only if you want to tell me," she added, not trying to sound too nosey.

The brunette stared at Chad for a moment, observing how he mentally debated against himself about whether to tell her or not. There was a part of him telling him that he's known her too little time and didn't know if to trust her or not; the other part was telling him that he was being ridiculous and that Gabriella was a good person. He let out a sigh and looked back up at her.

"I don't know where to start," Chad said. "Troy… he's uh…a person who's been through so much, Gabriella. Ever since his mother died, he… was never the same again. I mean, Lucille was… Troy's whole world! Of course! She was his mom! And when she left, when the only person that really paid any real attention to him left… he… just felt lonely. And let's just say that his father has never been… someone Troy could actually rely on," he shook his head, the frown in his face deepening with anger. "I mean, sure, he's his father, he loves him. They used to play basketball together and all that, but… Jack's just a busy person. He never stuck around to help him when Troy needed him the most," he paused. "After a while, he just… stopped talking to everyone, including me."

Gabriella frowned. "So you just let him walk away? Just like that?"

Chad shook his head. "Of course not, Gabriella. He was my friend! But what could I have possibly done when he wouldn't talk to me? I was only 7 years old and with the time… I just gave up," he frowned. "We said hurtful things to each other and… we just stopped being friends."

Gabriella nodded. "You didn't try to fix it afterwards?"

"Yes," he nodded. "He was my best friend; of course I wanted to make up with him. I missed my bud," he sighed. "But… every time I tried to do something about it, he would start a fight and… at the end we would end up more pissed at each other than before."

"And you haven't tried again," she stated.

"No," Chad shook his head. "I don't see the point when he doesn't want my help."

Gabriella bit her lower lip and hesitated before reaching over and taking his hand. Chad looked up surprised.

"I bet he does," she said. "But there's something holding him back from asking it."

Chad stared into her eyes. "Maybe," he agreed and small smiled at her.

* * *

><p>He was sitting at his desk, with his lamp illuminating the small golden heart between Troy's fingers. How come he never noticed it around Gabriella's neck?<p>

It was nothing out of the ordinary; it was just a simply golden heart locket with a golden chain. The _'G'_ engraved on it was the only thing that actually outstood of the thing.

He was fighting the curiosity of opening it up. He didn't want to know anything about her, not even the slightest thing like a picture. He knew that if he opened it, Gabriella would intrigue him even more.

His bedroom door opened. "Mr. Bolton?"

Troy turned his head to the left, to find Nicole standing there, her hands behind her back like always.

"Yes, Nicole?" he questioned.

"I'm going to go to bed now, is there anything else I could do for you?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, thank you. Go to rest."

The blonde nodded. "Good Night, Mr. Bolton."

"Night, Nicole," he smiled at her and she shut the door in her way out.

Troy sighed as he turned back to the necklace. He continued to examine it and turn it in his fingers. He found it funny how Nicole was the one to wish him a good night instead of his father. It wasn't like he wanted him to do it, he just found it funny.

He continued to stare at the necklace. He knew he would have to return it, but he didn't know how. If he wanted to stay away from her, he couldn't just walk up to her and give her the necklace. She would surely start a conversation and… after what almost happened today, he didn't want to deal with any awkwardness.

He shouldn't have told her that he would see her on Monday. But of course, he should be used to not paying attention at what he says when he's around her. He sighed.

Maybe he could find a way to shove the necklace into her locker. He would have to talk to the janitor.

Troy bit his lips together thoughtfully. The stupid temptation was winning him again.

"No, Troy," he mumbled to himself and placed the necklace inside the drawer of his desk before turning off the lamp and heading off to his bed. He couldn't let it win. He wouldn't let it win.

He wouldn't let _her_ win.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

_**PLEASE READ:**_

**Yes, I know I'm horrible and I deserve to rot in hell for not updating in 1 and a half months! I'm a jerk with new shoes! (Love that HSM2 line xD)**

**I'm really sorry guys! You don't know how much! But school's been crazy! You have no idea! I'm whipping my ass this year and guess what? I got all A's this month! :D Okay, except for Math and Physics, but we all know I suck at it! -.-**

**I'm sorry, but right now school's my priority. I need awesome grades this year for collage, so… yes, I'm afraid I'll update next chapter not very soon :/ **

**I hope you guys understand that I have a life besides writing, I've got school and my friends and when I don't have any homework, try to understand that my family wants to spend time with me. **

**I'm waking up every day half an hour earlier than I should so I can write at least two paragraphs; that's why I took so long. Except today, since I finished my homework early. **

**But don't forget that I love you all and that I'm still excited to read your reviews. I hope you guys don't hate me too much. But you can be sure about something: I'LL FINISH THIS STORY EVEN IF MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT! Okay? I never leave a story without an end. **

**I love you all! Please forgive me! **

**Xoxoxo Mary**

**P.D: SORRY FOR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING MISTAKES! Please leave a REVIEW behind! :D**


	9. This can't be

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Eight_

* * *

><p>Gabriella woke up at the sound of her alarm clock and groaned annoyed. She hated Mondays with all her will.<p>

She reached over with her hand and felt around her bedside table before finding the noisy piece of junk and slamming her hand against the snooze button. She opened one eye and looked around her barely illuminated bedroom and sighed; the only good thing about today is that she was going to be able to see Troy. She hoped that she would have the chance to talk to him, maybe not about their little moment a couple of days ago –though it would be good– but more about… stuff in general.

She groaned as she pulled the covers off of her and stood up. She opened her drawers and took out the first thing she found to wear; she has never put too much thought on her outfits like other girls. She grabbed a nice green shirt with the word 'Sexy' written over it and a pair of clean light blue jeans. She grabbed her underwear and a pair of socks before placing them over the bed.

She made her way into the bathroom across the hall and turned on the shower. It was still hard for her to keep her eyes open; she didn't know how she got undressed without falling asleep.

She gasped as the hot water hit her on the shoulders, causing Goosebumps to form on her skin for the sudden change of temperature. Okay, now she's wide awake.

After Gabriella finished showering, she stepped out of the shower and quickly wrapped herself up in her fluffy towel, guarding her body from the sudden cold air. She shuddered as she wiped off the steam of the mirror and looked at her reflection. She didn't know why, but she always got a red nose after she showered; her dad thought it was cute. She didn't, of course.

Taking a white towel from the towel rack next to her, she quickly dried her hair with it, fluffing it lightly. She grabbed her red hair brush and passed it quickly over her untamed and puffy curls, flatting them out. She sighed and placed the brush back down next to the sink and buried her fingers in her hair, shaking it lightly. She would finish fixing it later.

After Gabriella got dressed into her simple outfit, she went over to her dressing table and opened her first drawer. She frowned.

"Where's my necklace?" she murmured to herself, starting to rummage between her stuff, trying to find it. "Shit, my necklace!"

Her hands danced nervously through every single spot inside her drawer and then she moved to the second one. When she didn't find it there, she moved to the third one… and then to the fourth. Her breathing started increasing its pace as she moved from her dressing table to her desk and then to her bookshelf; she couldn't find it anywhere. Where the hell was her necklace? She couldn't live without her necklace!

"DAD!" she yelled for him.

* * *

><p>"You're pale," Troy commented, taking another spoonful of cereal as he watched Annie clean the countertop with a cloth, in front of him.<p>

Annie looked up at him with tired eyes. "Huh?"

He frowned. "Are you feeling alright, Annie?"

"Oh," she blinked and then nodded tiredly. "Yes, yes. I just didn't sleep well last night; Mike was up all night with a fever and to top it all, I puked this morning," she said. Mike was her oldest son; she once brought him to work when Annie woke up late to take him to school. Jack was pissed. "Luke already gave him something for the flu, and he gave me something for my upset stomach; he thinks I'm just stressed since I don't have any other symptoms."

"I see," Troy said, keeping the concerned frown on his face. "Luke stayed with him, today or...?"

"No, he had a surgery this morning, so… I took Mike to my mother's," she sighed.

Troy shook his head. "You could have brought him here, you know?"

"Your father isn't very fond of Mike since he broke that… weird statue the last time he was here, so…" she shook her head.

Troy rolled his eyes. "He didn't even like that statue."

The brunette shrugged. "Well, he's still my boss, so…"

"I know," Troy nodded. "And you took Lilly to school?" he asked.

"Like it's supposed to be," she nodded.

The blue eyed boy chuckled. "Poor thing."

Annie rolled her eyes. "She likes school!"

Troy laughed. "Such a weirdo, just like you," he teased and Annie narrowed her eyes at him.

"Good morning."

The relaxed atmosphere was suddenly disturbed when Jack entered the kitchen. Annie watched how Troy's eyes immediately turned from their natural color into a dark shade of blue, and to be honest, it made her shudder.

"Good Morning, Mr. Bolton," Annie greeted him. She almost never saw Jack Bolton, but today she had arrived earlier than usual.

"Annie! What a surprise!" Jack smiled and Troy rolled his eyes; for some reason he didn't like that his father talked to Annie. "What are you doing here so early?"

Annie gave him a small smile. "I didn't take Mike to school, today. He's sick," she explained.

Jack instantly frowned. "You didn't bring him here, did you?"

Now Troy remembered why he didn't like it when Jack talked to Annie. He was such an asshole.

Annie's stomach instantly twisted as she faked a smile. "No, Mr. Bolton. I took him to my mother's," she said.

"Good," he nodded and walked over to the coffee maker; his back facing his son and Annie. "Did you prepare breakfast?"

"No, Mr. Bolton," she answered, her hands involuntarily twisting the cloth in her hand to release some of her anger. Troy stared at her warily, chewing his cereal more slowly.

"Then what are you waiting for?" he asked, still not turning around.

Before Annie could respond, Troy spoke up. "You never have breakfast here."

"So? Can't I decide to do it today?" he asked back, turning around with a mug in his hand.

"Oh no, you can," he said. "But Annie's not preparing anything; she's still not on duty."

"It's her job," he answered monotonously.

"Oh, give me a break! We both know that her contract says that-"

"I'll prepare breakfast right away Mr. Bolton," Annie cut in. She didn't want anything to go out of control; she has been judge of the Bolton men's fights before and… it wasn't something pretty to watch. She wasn't gonna let them fight over her. "I'm the cook after all," she faked a smile.

Troy narrowed his eyes at her, though her back was facing him; he hoped to drill some kind of hole in the back of her skull. Jack smiled back at her and sent a smirk at his son, causing Troy's blue eyes to turn darker.

"Thank you Annie," Jack said before going through the white swinging door that led to the dining room.

"Good luck with him," Troy grumbled while standing up. He picked up his now empty cereal bowl and placed it in the sink.

"You're not having breakfast?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

"I already had breakfast."

"No. I mean like a real breakfast," she crossed her arms and stared at him. "You know… eggs bacon, sausages…"

"No, thank you."

Annie frowned. "Did you get mad at me?"

Troy rolled his eyes. "No, why would I?" he asked sarcastically, turning away from the sink and facing Annie.

"What did I do?" she questioned.

The teen walked over to his cook. "You're such a kiss up!" he hissed at her, anger and annoyance evident in his dark blue eyes.

Annie gaped at him and she felt the anger she was feeling a moment ago crawling back beneath her skin. "He's my boss!" she exclaimed.

"I know that!" he glared at her. "But I was taking care of it!"

Annie rolled her eyes. "I wasn't gonna let you fight with your dad over something as stupid as preparing breakfast! He's right! I'm the freaking cook! I should _cook_ breakfast!"

"You weren't on duty yet!" he continued to argue.

"And your dad's been very generous about my schedule; the least I could do is follow orders!" she said.

"Like I said, you're such a kiss up! You should've let me handle it!" he said.

Annie narrowed her eyes at him and examined him for a moment. "You know what I think?" she asked.

"What?"

"That this isn't about me or if I'm a '_kiss up'_," she said, making air quotes. "It's all about _you_; you wanting to beat your dad at everything!" she hissed. "Grow up, Troy! And start learning how to deal with your father and not try to make a drama every time he's around! I don't know what he did, but he's your dad and it's getting sickening! I have better things to do than to watch you make yourself a victim!"

As soon as she finished that sentence, she regretted it. A quick flash of pain went through his eyes, but she was able to see it.

Troy quickly gained his composure back as he narrowed his eyes at Annie. His hands turned into fists, his nails digging into his palms and his knuckles turning white. Yes, almost 10 years of working for the Boltons and she didn't know what was going on in there; but that didn't give her the right to say that Troy Bolton was making himself a victim.

"You're right," he said; taking Annie by surprise. "You don't know a shit of what my father did, so I suggest you to shut the hell up and stop giving your fucking opinions about my life. I do not play a victim; victims are cowards and I am not one."

And with that… he stormed off, leaving a very shocked Annie behind.

Ah shit, what did she do!

* * *

><p>Tears were running down Gabriella's eyes as she sobbed silently in her father's arms. She lost it! How could she have lost something as precious and important as her heart locket?<p>

"Gabs, stop crying," her dad muttered in her ear as he rubbed her arms tenderly "It's okay, it'll appear. I promise."

"No, it won't," she sniffled. "Dad, how could I lose it?" she questioned.

"It's probably laying around here somewhere," he said.

"We looked everywhere," she sniffled. "I hardly doubt it."

Greg Montez sighed. Yes, it was the heart locket that he had given his daughter for her 16th b-day; yes, it meant a lot… but… he didn't like that his daughter was tormenting herself for a piece of junk that he would happily replace if he had the money.

"Honey, if it doesn't appear, then I… I'll see the way to buy you a new one, okay?" he tried to comfort her. Gabriella's eyes snapped open and she pulled away a little to face her father.

"What? No! Dad, of course not!" she shook her head. "We can't afford a new necklace! You're crazy!"

Gregory rolled his eyes. "If I want to buy you a necklace, I'll buy you a necklace, Gabriella. Are we clear on that?" he said sternly.

Gabriella narrowed her puffy red eyes. "You're using your 'Father Authority' against me; that's not fair!"

He smiled lightly at her. "Life's not fair, sweetie," he joked, placing a stray hair behind her ear, unconsciously giving her a true fact that made Gabriella grimace lightly. "Now… don't worry about this, alright? I want you to go to school, focus on the things you have to do, and then later afternoon, we'll continue looking, is that okay?"

Gabriella sighed. She knew she was already late for work and Savannah –her boss– was going to murder her for skipping her morning shift. Although, she didn't work every day at the flower shop, she hated to work at mornings; but it was what paid the bills.

School was going to be deserted at 7:02 but… there wasn't anything else better to do.

"Okay," she nodded her head, letting out another sigh.

"Good," her father said and continued rubbing her back.

* * *

><p>Troy walked up the hill with his hands in his pockets, his head hanging low and an expressionless face. He couldn't believe that Annie had told him that; he could have expected it from anyone else, but not Annie. He didn't make himself a victim. He hated his father, and probably always will, and he won't stop fighting him until the day that he's free of him.<p>

The blue eyed teen sighed as he sat in front of his mom's grave, his elbows resting over his bent knees.

"You don't think I'm a coward, do you?" he asked her, only to be responded by the silence of the atmosphere and the sound of the wind blowing by the trees. "Annie seems to think so," he murmured. "I do not make myself a victim, mom. I swear I don't," he shook his head.

He looked down to his intertwined hands. "You know I only like to get under his skin," he chuckled bitterly, tearing a little piece of skin that was attached to the side of his thumb. "The worst thing is that I would have expected if from anyone, except her. I thought she was…" he sighed and shook his head. "Sort of my friend, but now I see that she's not."

He looked back up at his mother's grave and frowned as he noticed that her flowers were dried. "Oh shit! Mom, I'm sorry!" he apologized to her as he reached forward and grabbed the dead flowers from the vase. "I let them dry. I'm sorry, I- I'll bring you some after school, alright?" he said, sitting closer to the grave.

"I hope this time they do have tulips," he said, turning the dead bouquet between his hands. "But… you liked these, right?" he smiled lightly.

He stayed silent for a moment, his eyes examining the dried leaves that barely had any green color left in them. The wind blew softly, messing with his hair and tearing away a few leaves of the bouquet between Troy's hands.

Maybe it was the flowers that reminded him of her when they met at the flower shop, or maybe it was that she just always seems to pop into his mind when he's not busy doing something. All he knew is that he suddenly found himself thinking about Gabriella Montez.

He sighed. "Oh God, what the hell is wrong with me?" he asked himself for the thousandth time. "What do I do, mom? I-I-I mean, s-she's nosey and persistent and, and, and... She is everything that annoys me in one person! She should be hell easy to ignore and yet…" he let out an exasperated sigh. "Why is she the only one that never leaves my mind?"

The wind continued to blow as Troy looked up at his mother's grave. He frowned.

"You're kidding right?" he exclaimed to the stone. "I do not like her, mom! Yes, she's attractive, but I do not like her!" he denied. He was probably looking like a nut-job yelling at a gravestone, but he didn't mind. "How could I like someone like her? It's stupid! Yes, yes, yes! I know what you're going to say: _'You said she never leaves your mind'_, but I'll tell you the reason! She…she… she…"

It was like some crazy and confusing game going on in his head; admitting liking her and then denying it. Deep down he knew that the brunette had blown his mind away, but of course he couldn't accept that fact, he couldn't admit it to himself –_that _would be losing, that would be giving up and Troy Bolton never gives up, Troy Bolton _was not_ a loser. He knew the reason she never left his mind was because he liked to think about her… but of course… no one's supposed to know that, not even his dead mother.

"No! I do have a reason!" he continued to argue with the stone. "I-I-I'm trying to figure out why she's s-stalks me and w-why she's so annoying, okay?" he exclaimed. He narrowed his eyes. "Yes, I'll keep telling that to myself, thank you, mom!" he shook his head and looked to his left.

His eyes softened as he watched a father and his son placing a rose on top of a gravestone; he wondered if it was the child's mother. He sighed as the little kid passed his little fist under his eye and the father passed his arm around the kid's shoulder. The kid looked up at his dad and reached his arms out for him; the father took the kid in his arms willingly and hugged him tightly. Troy scoffed; what a lucky kid. Okay, maybe not lucky because he lost his mother… but… because his father was still being his father.

"Why aren't we like that?" he murmured. "He wasn't like he is now," he looked back to his mom's gravestone. '_Lucille Joan Bolton. 1964- 2001'_ he read. "But of course I can't really blame him, I killed his wife," he chuckled bitterly. "And that's why I won't let myself like Gabriella, mom. After what I did to you… I don't deserve someone as good as she is; it's not fair to her to be with someone as… messed up as I am."

He stayed in silence for another moment before looking down to his watch on his left wrist. He sighed.

"Gotta go, mom," he said, standing up. "I need to talk to the janitor…"

* * *

><p>"What was all that yelling about?" Jack asked his cook after she placed a plate of perfectly cooked eggs in front of him and a glass of juice.<p>

Annie blinked as he stared at her boss. "What do you mean, Mr. Bolton?" she asked, trying to remain calmed.

Jack rolled his eyes as he grabbed his knife and fork. "Annie dear, I'm not stupid. I heard you and my son yelling at each other and I want to know why," he said, eating the first piece of his eggs and looking up at the honey colored eyes of the brunette.

Annie bit her lower lip nervously as she placed her hands behind her back; she was secretly praying to God to not get fired. "I-It w-was nothing important, Mr. B-Bolton."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "It must have been if you are stuttering. Tell me, Annie."

The cook stared at him for a moment before sighing. "May I take a seat?" she asked and Mr. Bolton nodded.

"Go ahead," he said.

Annie sat on the chair next to him and placed her hands on top of the table, intertwining her fingers in the process. "H-he said that he didn't like the way that you were talking to me and that I shouldn't act like, and I quote, 'A kiss up'," she said and Jack frowned. "We began arguing about it… and… I said some things that I shouldn't have said, and I apologize for it, Mr. Bolton."

Jack placed his cutlery down and pushed his eggs a little so he could place his hands on top of the table, just like Annie. "What did you say?"

"I," she bit her lower lip. "I said… that he wasn't exactly mad because I was being a kiss up, but… because he didn't like to lose to you."

Jack frowned but nodded. "See Annie, now that's why I don't like my work staff bonding with my son."

Annie nodded. "Am I fired?"

"No," Jack shook his head. "But it's the last time I want you talking to my son that way. Are we clear on that, Annie?"

"Yes, Sir," she said.

"Okay, good," he pulled his plate back to him and continued eating. "You're excused."

"Thank you, Mr. Bolton," she stood up and walked back into the kitchen.

"He's in so much trouble when I get home," Jack murmured to himself and took a sip of his glass of orange juice.

Annie sighed as she leaned over the counter and placed her head in her hands. What was she supposed to do? He heard the yelling and… she was never a good liar. She just hoped to not have gotten Troy into too much trouble.

* * *

><p>Troy walked up to the Janitor's office at the end of the hallway.<p>

Everything looked so lonely since it was still very early for someone to actually be there; it was the perfect moment for him to do his job of returning Gabriella's necklace without making any contact with her.

He knocked on the glass of the door that said 'Janitor' and a couple of moments later an old man opened it. Well he wasn't exactly old since he couldn't be older than 65 but he wasn't a teenager either.

The janitor looked up at Troy confused, probably because it was too early. "Well, hello there!" he greeted the teen. "May I help you?"

Troy smiled at him politely. "Mr. Harrison," he said. "Good Morning, uh… I'm Troy Bolton, sorry to disturb you this early but I-I need your help with something."

Mr. Harrison looked up at him curiously. "I see. What can I do for you, young man?" he asked.

"I-I need you to help me to open up this girl's locker," he requested, making the old man smile immediately. His cheeks went red when he heard how that sounded like.

"Say no more!" he said taking his set of keys and searching through it. "What's her locker number?" he asked.

"313," he immediately said and mentally scolded himself; why the hell did he memorize that?

Mr. Harrison nodded, taking out the key from the set and handing it over to Troy. "Just make sure to give it back before school ends."

Troy nodded, taking the key from the janitor. "Thanks a lot, Mr. Harrison."

Mr. Harrison smiled, causing small wrinkles to form at the sides of his brown eyes. "You're welcome," he said. "Good luck with your young damsel, Mr. Bolton," he winked.

"No! Wait she… she… s-she's not my-," but before he could finish, Mr. Harrison had gotten back into his office and shut the door close. "…damsel," Troy finished and rolled his eyes. He sighed and turned around, making his way down the hallway. "Whatever."

When he reached Gabriella's locker all he could do was stand in front of it and stare. He fidgeted with the key in his hand for a moment before walking forward and inserting the key in the key slot below the combination lock.

He sighed and opened the locker.

Her books were perfectly ordered at the top shelf of the locker, she had a blue sweater hanging at the side and she had a butterfly sticker glued at the back wall –she knew that she would have to scrub that off by the end of the year, right?

Troy shoved his hand into his pocket and slowly pulled out Gabriella's golden heart locket. He stared down at it and passed his thumb over the engraved 'G'.

He sighed. Well, he was able to resist opening it up… at least until now, and he was planning to keep it that way. All he had to do was reach his hand out and drop the necklace on the top shelf and then close the locker; then he would have won this battle.

So that was what he did. He reached his hand out, placing the necklace at the top shelf pulling his hand back a little.

He didn't know why, but he was hesitating.

Troy would never have her; that was a fact. He would never allow himself to have her, but maybe… just maybe he could have a little something from her to help him fight his urge towards her. It wasn't like she was going to miss her necklace, right? It was obviously of bad quality. Why would she want a piece of shit like _this_ back?

And that was enough for him. That little, senseless thought was enough for him to take the necklace back in his hand and shut the locker close. He stared down at the necklace and sighed before shoving it back into his pocket, not giving it a further thought.

"Troy?" he heard someone say behind him and he turned around. His eyes went wide as he mentally groaned; she wasn't supposed to be here this early!

He quickly got a hold of himself and put on an expressionless face; Gabriella rolled her eyes at that. Yes, she was beginning to notice Troy's reaction towards her.

The brunette walked up to him. "What are you doing here this early?" she asked, curiously.

"I could ask you the same question, Cupcake," he replied, taking a step back; she was getting too close.

Gabriella stood a couple of feet away from him and cocked her head to one side with a slight grin. "I'll tell you my reason if you tell me yours."

Troy rolled his eyes and turned to his left to leave. "Not gonna happen, Cupcake."

The brunette bit her lower lip while watching him walk away. She stood there pondering for a moment before deciding to follow him. She readjusted her backpack over her shoulder and jogged over to him.

Just when Troy thought that he was out of Gabriella's sight…

"What were you doing at my locker?" the brunette asked next to him, making Troy jump a little. She giggled.

"Stop following me," he answered deadpan as he continued walking.

"I'm not following you, I'm just walking in the same direction as you," she said. Troy looked down at her and arched an eyebrow.

"You're a freaking stalker, you know that?" he said.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I'm not a stalker, Cinnamon Roll. Not my fault that you think you're the center of the universe."

Troy scoffed. "You wished I was the center of _your_ universe."

The brown eyed girl raised both her eyebrows at him. "Really? Is that what you think?"

"I'm pretty positive, Cupcake," he answered.

She came to a halt, grabbing Troy's arm forcefully to make him stop and turn to look at her.

"What was that for?" he asked annoyed.

She ignored his question. "Then why were you the one that wanted to kiss me?" she asked.

Troy felt an annoying knot form at the pit of his stomach, but he kept his serene expression on, avoiding showing any true emotions. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said and turned around.

Gabriella's stomach crumpled up with anger as she followed. She knew he would probably try to deny it, so that part didn't really bother her; what bothered her was that he acted like it wasn't something that affected him in any way.

She grabbed his arm again. "You know perfectly well of what I'm talking about, Troy!"

"No I don't, please go away," he said deadpan, wanting to turn back around and leave.

"Why are you afraid?" she asked him, jogging up in front of him to stop him.

"Afraid?" he frowned down at her, annoyed. "Afraid of what, Cupcake?"

"Of me," she answered, staring directly into his blue eyes. "Of what's going on in here," she said, motioning between them with her hand.

"I'm not afraid of you, Montez," he glared down at her with anger. "And I'm certainly not afraid of what's going on in here, because nothing is going on in here!" he yelled on her face before walking past her and bumping into her shoulder on porpoise.

"Why are you such a coward!" she yelled after him.

Troy froze in his place with wide eyes. But soon that feeling of surprise turned into anger, real and pure anger. He clenched his fists as he turned around to face her once again.

Gabriella jumped back a little after looking at Troy. His eyes had turned into a heavy shade of navy and the skin on his forehead had creased up in a deep and scary frown. The skin of his knuckles had turned white and his shoulders were square, tense. For the first time since she's met him, Gabriella felt intimidated by Troy. Maybe she had hit a soft spot.

The teenage boy marched back to Gabriella furiously, danger was written all over his face and the brunette felt the need to run away, but she stood there, not moving an inch. He grabbed her by the arm and pushed her against the lockers, making her wince a little and drop her backpack on the floor.

"Listen to me, Montez. And listen well," he hissed on her face. "I'm everything but a coward. I do not run away from my problems, I face them. _You're_ one of my problems, one of the most annoying and exasperating problems I've ever had; you're nosey, you're persistent and you like to create little worlds in your stupid little head. So I'm telling you to leave me the fuck alone, alright? I do not like you, I'm not attracted to you and I'm certainly not afraid of you. Make us both a favor and stop making up fantasy stories of us in your little mind, because ain't gonna happen. You hear me?"

The brunette didn't answer. She was too busy staring up at the eyes of the intimidating guy to react. She was frozen right on her spot, she wasn't sure if she was still breathing.

"Are you retarded or something? I said: Do you hear me?" he repeated, aggravation evident in his voice.

Gabriella continued to stare up at him. Many would have just nodded their head and try to run off, but she just stood there with her eyes locked to his. Sure, she was a little bit scared, but she was never one to let herself be intimidated by people but her father, and that because it was her father they were talking about.

"You're hurting my arm," she said calmly a couple of seconds later.

Troy stared down at her unbelieving, his eyes drifting to where his hand was clutching her forearm before returning to Gabriella's brown orbs.

"You're sick," he accused her. "Didn't you hear anything of what I just said?"

"I heard, but I don't believe you," she said. "And yes, I'm sick and I'm fucking proud of it," she hissed at him.

"I can see that," he narrowed his eyes at her. "Why are you so sure I want anything to do with you?" he questioned her. Gabriella stayed silent for a moment as she pondered her answers.

"You want to know how I know?" she finally asked him.

"Surprise me," he challenged her.

"Okay," she nodded.

And so that was what she did. She caught him off guard when she softly placed her free hand on the back of his neck, pulling him in towards her.

Yes, it had hurt what he said, but she still had a little hope that he was lying. So she decided to test her hypothesis the only way she thought he wouldn't try to push her away.

Troy stood still for a moment when his lips collided against Gabriella's; he was too shocked to even move. He hadn't seen that one coming. He was still gripping her right arm tightly as his other hand travelled involuntarily to Gabriella's waist, landing over it, softly.

Both of their hearts started speeding up as their lips started to dance together. Troy was very aware of what was happening; he knew it shouldn't be happening, but somehow he couldn't find the will to pull away. He knew he had to, he knew he needed to, but he just couldn't; he didn't want to.

He slowly began to give in; his shoulders became less tense and the grip on Gabriella's arm loosened up till he let go of it completely, only to change the place of his hand on the other side of Gabriella's waist.

The brunette grinned into the kiss; she was right. She knew he was lying, somehow she had managed to look behind Troy's mask… or maybe she just had a hunch; whatever it was, she was right.

She moved her now free arm behind Troy's neck, bringing him closer to her. She had this feeling of victory running warmly through her veins, and she loved every single moment of it. She felt like someone had started a fire underneath her skin and the spot where Troy's hands were comfortably lying was the place where it burned the most in a non-painful way.

Troy found himself in heaven. Her hands were soft and gentle and her kiss was tender and sweet, innocent. He liked it. It wasn't like those wild rough make out sessions he's had from when he went crashing parties; no… this one was a million times better. There was something in this kiss that was addictive, something that he wanted to continue to taste until forever, something that wasn't allowing him to pull back, something that was attracting him like a magnet.

Troy leaned forward a little so he could press Gabriella's back against the lockers. She didn't seem to mind though, as she moved her hands to Troy's arms and pulled them a little, making them wrap around her waist completely. The blue eyed teen smirked; he liked what she had just done.

He pulled back for moment, opening his eyes to stare down at the brunette that seemed to fit perfectly in his arms. Gabriella also opened her eyes and she gasped a little; Troy was unaware that a small grin was plastered on his face. A real smile. She also smiled, making Troy's heart flutter with joy and he leaned back down to capture her addictive lips with his once again.

Gabriella received his kiss whole heartedly and she smiled happily. Everything felt just right; they fitted perfectly fine, like if they were two puzzle pieces that just recently found their other part.

After a while, Gabriella pulled back, feeling the need to breathe; Troy needed air too.

He stared down at Gabriella when she placed her head over his shoulder and sighed contently. Troy's mind was in blank as he pressed his nose to the top of her head and breathed in her smell. He sighed.

"What do you do to me?" he murmured against her hair. Gabriella grinned.

"The same thing you do to me," she answered softly, not wishing to ruin the moment.

"One week and you've got me going nuts for you," he continued to murmur. "That isn't right," he sighed. The brunette continued to smile. She pulled her head back so she could stare up at Troy.

"It doesn't have to be right," she told him.

Troy's blue eyes bored into her brown ones. She was so beautiful. He pressed his palm over her cheek and stroked it with his thumb. Gabriella felt her heart flutter with his gentle touch, but that warm feeling in her stomach started to disappear when she noticed that Troy's eyes began to lose their brightness.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly.

Troy sighed as reality began hitting him again. Yes, she was very beautiful, and not only on the outside, but on the inside too; she was a beautiful person. He frowned sadly as he rested his forehead on Gabriella's; he didn't want to let go.

"Everything's wrong, Gabriella," he said.

"Why do you say that?" she questioned, frowning with confusion.

He pulled back again so he could look into her brown eyes. "Because it is," he said. "This is wrong."

Gabriella shook her head. "Why?"

"This can't be, Gabriella," he said softly, not really answering her question.

"Yes, it can," she said. "We just have to try, Troy. I-It doesn't have to be anything serious, we could just hang out and get to know each other and-,"

Troy shook his head. "No, Gabriella, that's not what I mean," he cut her off. "I _can't_ have a relationship, and much less with you," he said.

"What?"

"You're gonna end up hurt, Cupcake," he murmured. "So please… I'm begging you to stop looking for me."

"Troy-,"

"No!" he cut her off. "Leave me alone," he told her sternly. "I'm serious, Gabriella."

She frowned, frustrated. "Why do you want to cut me off?"

Troy stared at her for a moment before slowly –and sadly –uncoiling his arms from Gabriella's waist. "Stop asking so many questions," he told her deadpan. "It's annoying."

He took Gabriella's wrists and pulled her hands away from his neck.

"You're the annoying one," she bit back.

He nodded his head. "But you're the most annoying."

With that one last sentence Troy turned around and walked off with his hands in his pockets. Gabriella stared after him totally confused and annoyed and hurt; she had managed to make him admit that he was attracted to her, and she couldn't understand why he continued to fight her when everything was out in the open. It didn't make sense; at least not to her.

Troy walked with a deep and angry frown on his face; he couldn't believe he let that happen. He couldn't believe that she kissed him. Yes, he was the one who told her to surprise him, but the fact of her daring to pull him in to kiss him was one of the things he never thought of. He shook his head; it would be harder to ignore her now that she knows that he liked her. He was just as stupid as that, wasn't he? He sighed. He wished he could just give in already; to let her near, to let himself fall in love with her and have her. Sadly he knew he couldn't. Karma was playing good this time. And this time he was going to fight it with all his will, no matter what. He was going to fight Gabriella Montez no matter what.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Yes I know I suck for leaving it here after 2 months of not updating, but… you know I like drama ;) **

**Once again I'm sorry for the wait, I didn't mean to take this long to update this chapter, but I was having one of my constant cases of writer's block and school's been insane. **

**Well, since now I have 4 weeks of exams coming, (two weeks of monthly exams and two weeks of mid-terms. Yes, my school's a bitch like that) I hope to have next chapter up in the week we have in between to rest. If not, then you guys will have to wait till Christmas Break.**

**My hard work in school is turning out quite good. I Aced all my classes… except for Statistics; I got a B. ¬¬**

**Oh, and three weeks ago was my 18****th**** b-day (October 24****th****) so I want reviews as a present! :D hahah jk. **

**Anyway! **

**Now I was hoping to get this chapter up this morning, but… apparently that didn't happen :3 so I'm updating now. If there's still someone reading this, thank you for the support, you guys are great! :D**

**Please Read, Enjoy and REVIEW! xD **

**Once again, I'm deeply sorry for the wait and I'll try to update as soon as I can.**

**SORRY for Grammar and Spelling mistakes. **

**Xoxo Mary. **


	10. You deserve to be happy

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Nine _

* * *

><p>"Mom, stop," Troy mumbled with his eyes closed. "I'm not going back to school."<p>

After fourth period, Troy decided to skip the rest of the day. He didn't feel like talking to Annie, so he stopped at the flower shop where Gabriella worked and bought a bouquet of red tulips before going back to the graveyard.

He was sitting peacefully with his back resting against the tombstone; arms crossed, stretched legs and eyes closed. He didn't feel like thinking, so he just sat there with his mind in blank and listening to the wind blow.

"Because I don't want to," he continued to argue. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at the stone with a frown. "Why do you keep suggesting that I'm just trying to run away from something? I'm not running away from anything!" he paused. "What?" he exclaimed. "I'm not avoiding anyone!" he growled. "No, it's not about Gabriella!"

He rolled his eyes after another moment of silence. "Yes mom! Her name's Gabriella! Quit the interrogatory, would you?" he whined childishly. "Yes, you're interrogating me! You're invading my personal thoughts!" he said. "I'm serious, I don't want to talk about it!" he shook his head and looked away. He let out an exasperated sigh after a while. "I kissed her, alright? Well, she kissed me… but that's not the point! I should have pulled away and I didn't," he turned to look back at the stone. "You know exactly why, mom! I'm a messed up shit!" he exclaimed to the stone. "No, I am! You're just saying I'm not because I'm your son."

He looked down to his hands as he brought his knees up. "I mean, I killed my own mother, my father hates my guts, my only friend was my cook… and I tend to talk to my dead mother's gravestone and look like a freaking loon. If that's not being a messed up shit, then what is it? Why would Gabriella want to be with me, huh? I would just tie her down after a while, because she would only feel sorry for me as soon as she found out about my past. Or maybe she would just freak out after knowing that I'm a fucking murderer and run away. I wouldn't blame her, really. She would be disappointed… and I would just break her heart," he sighed. "And then mine would break after watching her walk away."

"Because I just know it, mom!" he exclaimed to the stone again. "I mean, look at me! I'm so fucked up! And there's no one to blame but me! Why? Because I freaking miss you and I just went and killed you. You have no idea how much I needed you when dad would punish me for no reason, when he would just glare at me and get up from the dining table to eat dinner in the living room only because he couldn't stand being near me; I needed you there to comfort me… and tell me to ignore him, that he would come around. He never did, of course," he said. "And he just expects me to forgive him just like that. I think I was already feeling guilty and lonely enough for him to just remind me of it," the blue eyed teen sighed. "Like I said, there's no one to blame but me... I was the one who deprived you of your life. I don't get to cry over you, I don't get… to claim that I miss you or that I need you. Where's my right to do so?" he asked. "Dad's right about that…"

He didn't say more after that. He thought that it had no use to continue complaining about it with his dead mother. It wasn't like it was going to change anything; things would still suck when he got home.

Troy closed his eyes again as he rested his head against the stone. He wondered if his mother had really forgiven him. He liked to think so –his mother was never someone to hold a grudge on anybody. She was someone kind and patient. Sure, she would sometimes fight with the rude Pizza Hutt lady over the phone, or with the dude that cut in the line, or maybe with the cashier because he gave her the wrong amount of change; but besides that, she was a beautiful person that liked to help some stranger struggling with the supermarket bags or some lady that forgot her keys inside her car. And of course, she was a patient and loving mother to Troy… and he really hoped that she had forgiven him.

He sighed. "I'm sorry mom," he mumbled before he unknowingly slipped into slumber.

* * *

><p>Annie sighed and bit her lower lip nervously after she looked up at the clock on the wall for the thousandth time. She rested her elbows over the kitchen counter and groaned. Where the hell is Troy? He was supposed to be home 3 hours ago and he wouldn't even answer his freaking cell phone!<p>

She knew he was mad at her, but she didn't think that he would take this long to come home. The brunette couldn't leave without knowing that he was safe and well.

She sighed as she drifted her eyes back to the clock. "Where are you?" she mumbled as she began drumming her fingers over the counter. "Where are you?" she repeated.

Suddenly she heard the sound of an engine and she immediately sprung up from the tall chair she was sitting on and ran over to the living room. Annie opened the curtain and sighed relieved after she saw Troy's black Mercedes parking outside.

"Thank God," she smiled and closed the curtain.

Troy got out of the car and slammed his door shut, setting the alarm afterwards. He yawned, running a hand over his face. He couldn't believe that he slept at his mother's grave for three whole hours; it was creepy to wake up to a lonely and dark graveyard where nothing could be heard but the sound of the crickets chirping. He got up and ran out of there as fast as he could after he said his goodbyes to his mother. He felt that by any moment the dead would rise up from their resting places and drag him underground –yes, he liked zombie movies.

The blue eyed boy looked up after he heard the sound of his front door open and close. He frowned when he saw Annie running towards him and his eyes went wide when she threw her arms around his neck and embraced him tightly.

"What the…"

She pulled back and slapped him on the chest.

"Ow!" the teen exclaimed.

"Do you know how worried I've been?" she yelled at him. "Why don't you answer your phone? Where have you been? What took you so long? Why didn't you come home after school?" she questioned him frantically and Troy only rolled his eyes.

"What do you care?" he asked right back at her and walked past her.

The cook frowned and followed him. "A lot actually," she told him. "Why are you home this late?"

"It's barely 7:00, Annette," he said, walking into his house and leaving the door open for his cook to come in.

Annie frowned; he's never called her by her full name before. She closed the door behind her and then continued on following her boss to the kitchen.

"It's still late," she said. "I was worried! I thought something had happened to you."

"I'm fine," he mumbled.

"Yes, I know, I'm not blind, thank you very much," she continued to scold him. "Troy, the least you could've done is call," she tried to reason with him.

Troy turned around abruptly, making Annie almost collide against his chest. "Who gave you permission to call me by my first name?" he hissed at her.

Annie stared up at him in shock. "You did," she said.

"From now on you call me Mr. Bolton, Annette," he glared at her before turning back around and making his way to the refrigerator.

Annie gaped after him. She never thought Troy would get this mad at her. Usually, he would've let things go by now and act like if nothing had ever happened.

She must have really hurt his feelings.

"Troy…" she tried.

"Shut up, Annie," he said, not turning to look at her. "I don't want to talk to you."

"I know, I noticed," she said with sarcasm evident in her voice.

"Great to know how observational you are," he mumbled sarcastically as well, taking out a milk carton, that was half empty, and opening it.

She walked up to him, taking the milk carton from his hand before he could drink from it.

"Hey!" he complained.

"We don't want your mouth germs in there. Use a cup, lazy ass," she frowned up at him and Troy imitated her.

"Excuse me, but who the hell do you think you are?" he yelled at her. "I'm your boss, not the other way around! You can't talk to me like that!"

Annie arched an eyebrow at him. "What's your point?"

Troy narrowed his navy blue eyes at her. "Look, Annette, you're crossing the line here…"

"No, you are crossing the line, Mr. Bolton," she answered in the same tone of voice as him.

Troy laughed sarcastically at her. "Really? How come?"

"You are acting like a jerk!" she said.

"I'm acting like a jerk?" he asked and Annie nodded. "I am?"

"Yes," she nodded again.

"_You're_ acting like a jerk," he told her. "God, you're acting like my father right now! One moment you're saying one thing and the next you're acting like you don't know what's wrong with me and you're being all caring and worried," he accused her.

"You're wrong," she shook her head and Troy scoffed. "I know perfectly well what I said, and I want to talk it out; you're the one trying to keep me out!"

"I'm not trying to-"

"You are," she cut him off. "Like you do with everything else!"

Troy glared at her. "You think you know me? Well, I don't think so."

"Oh, but I do, Troy. I do. I think I know you better than you know yourself," she said. "I've known you since you were seven," she reminded him.

"Okay, then go ahead! Tell me exactly who I am!" he dared her. "C'mon, I want to know!"

"You are Troy Alexander Bolton, a wonderful and kind boy!" she said, accepting his dare. "A boy who I know has suffered a lot, a boy that needs someone to be there for him, a boy that tends to push people away, that repels them, that lets no one in, not even his own father… but sometimes me. It's hard to read your emotions, you don't like to talk when you've had a bad day, you have a bad temper, you love my Mac n' Cheese, and I know that you have a huge crush on that girl that came over on Saturday. And I know you well enough to know that you're doing everything you can to keep her away from you," she stared into the teen's eyes, making him go silent. "What I don't know is why you do it."

Troy looked at her for a moment before lowering his head and staring at the milk carton that was in Annie's hand.

The brunette continued, seeing that Troy wasn't ready to talk yet. "I know what I said this morning was out of line, Troy. And I apologize," she said. "You're right. I can't give out my opinion without even knowing what's going on… but in order to understand you … I want you to open up to me. I don't give a crap of what your father says anymore about you and me not being able to be friends! It's a little too late for that, don't you think? We are already friends, right?" she questioned him, but he didn't answer. "Right?" she tried again.

Troy looked up at her. "What is exactly that you want, Annie?"

The brunette stared at him unbelieving. "To help you."

"Why?"

"Because, I care for you, Troy," Annie said, unknown to the fact that those words meant to Troy more than she ever thought. "You're like an annoying little brother to me," she tried to joke. It seemed to work as Troy let out a small chuckle and a smile.

But his smile soon faded and he frowned. "I don't deserve you caring for me, Annie."

That comment made the cook frown as well. "Why not?"

"It's just that," he sighed. He wanted to open up to her, but he was afraid. He was afraid that she was going to react badly, and he was afraid that he was doing something that he shouldn't, "Annie, I'm afraid…" he confessed, lowering his head in embarrassment.

The cook's eyes softened profusely, and her heart sunk to her stomach. She couldn't believe what Troy had said –not exactly the content of the phrase, but the fact that he had said it. He said he was afraid, he had said how he felt; he was _expressing_ his feelings.

Annie left the milk carton –that was still in her hand– over the kitchen counter and stepped forward, embracing the taller boy by the waist. Troy blinked shocked for a moment before he hesitantly wrapped his arms around the older woman.

"You don't have to be afraid to tell me, Troy," she said, rubbing his back while resting her head over his chest with her eyes closed. "You can trust me."

"I know," he mumbled.

"Then tell me," she asked, pulling away from him.

The teen sighed. "I want to," he said. "I… I just don't know if I'm ready to…"

Annie nodded. "Okay, I understand. Take your time, and when… you feel like you're ready to tell me, then you know that I'll be here to listen to you."

"Thank you," he said, placing his hands in his pockets.

"You don't have to feel alone, Troy," she told him. "I want you to feel that you can tell me anything if you have the need to talk."

Troy didn't answer, but he nodded his head, not really knowing what to say to the woman that has been like an older sister to him.

"Well," Annie sighed, smiling up at Troy. "Enough with the sentimentalism. Are you hungry?"

Troy rolled his eyes and smiled down at the cook. "Yes, I am in fact."

"Sit down; I'll heat you up the steak I made for dinner."

"Thank you, Annie," he said, sitting down at the kitchen island and resting his hands over it.

"No problem," the brunette said and immediately began to work.

As Annie walked to the fridge to take out a green Tupperware container, Troy fiddled with his thumbs, debating himself about whether to take Annie's offer or not. He pondered between the pros and cons of the situation. He _needed_ to talk to someone other than his mother's grave. He didn't know why, but after what Annie had just told him, he had the urge to tell her everything. But he also thought about the promise he made to himself long time ago about not having any kind of relationship with anyone because he didn't deserve it.

It was tempting, he didn't deny that, especially when the brunette had offered it herself, but... was this some kind of cruel joke? Was this a test for him? He has learned with the years that when things seem to get a little bit better, all that good stuff is suddenly shut down right in front of his eyes, like… a door being slammed on his face. What if he did open up to Annie? What if after he told her what he had done all those years ago, she changed her point of view about him and chose his father's side? Or worse, what if she quit and abandoned him?

Troy frowned. _If she abandoned him_. He shook his head; how could he think of that if he's never trusted anyone before? He let out a chuckle. Maybe he had let himself trust her unconsciously. He didn't feel angry at that, though. It was just funny.

* * *

><p>Gabriella was sitting on her front porch swing, alone. Her father was talking to her brother on the phone and she was glad that she had that little break to think.<p>

It hadn't been exactly a calm day for her. She had a lot to do at the Coffee Shop and when she got home –she was lucky that Mary gave her a ride that night–, she was met by her father freaking out because he couldn't find his pills; he was having an anxiety episode, and that wasn't good. Gabriella acted quick as she sat him on the couch and made him try to breathe slowly. It didn't take longer than five minutes when she found the pills underneath the sink. She didn't understand how they ended up in there if they were supposed to be in one of the kitchen island's drawers, but she didn't give it too much of a thought as she hurried to give them to her father.

She sighed, exhausted. It had been a really bad day. Not only Troy had rejected her completely after kissing her, but she had to deal with his cold shoulder for the rest of the day and she had to deal with her family drama when all she wanted was some peace and quiet.

"Gabriella!" the brunette looked up and smiled when she saw her neighbor Chad walking up her front porch steps with Calah by his side.

"Hey Chad," she greeted him, patting Calah's neck as she jumped over her to lick her face. She giggled.

"Why are you out here, all alone?" he asked, sitting next to her. Calah sat next to Chad, placing her head over his lap.

The brunette shrugged. "Just thinking."

"About?" he asked, scratching Calah behind her ears.

"Stuff," she answered, smiling teasingly.

Chad rolled his eyes. "I just love how specific you are," he told her, making the brunette laugh. "What kind of stuff?"

"Just… stuff," she said, smiling timidly at her friend.

Chad stared at her for a moment before he arched an eyebrow at her and smirked. "You were thinking about Troy, weren´t you?" he accused her.

"No," she shook her head, her cheeks turning slightly pink as she looked away.

The afro-haired guy laughed and nodded his head. "Sure, that's why you're blushing and looking everywhere but me!" he observed. "Gabby, I may be a guy, but I tend to notice this kind of stuff," he said proudly.

"Well," Gabriella continued to blush. "That's really weird."

Chad laughed and then continued to smirk at her. "So, you're telling me the rumor is true?" he questioned her jokingly.

"What rumor?" she frowned confused.

"The one of you and Troy kissing," he shrugged.

Gabriella's eyes went wide. "What?"

"I know!" Chad rolled his eyes. "I didn't believe it either when Jake Parker told me that he saw you two this morning before school began. Damn, he said that you two were practically doing it against the lockers," he laughed.

Gabriella groaned. "How many people has he told this to?"

Chad shrugged. "I don't know, but don't worry Gabs, it's not like it's true," he tried to comfort her. "The rumor will be forgotten within a week."

The brunette groaned again and placed her head in her hands, her elbows resting on her lap. "Oh God…" she mumbled to herself.

"Chillax, Gabby," he rubbed her back.

"No, Chad… is that," she sighed, looking up at him with an annoying knot on the pit of her stomach. "I…I did kiss Troy."

It was Chad's turn to widen his eyes. "What!" he yelled. "You did what! Gabriella, what the fuck!"

She sighed and rested her head on the back of the porch swing. "I know."

"I mean, I know I told you that it was obvious he had a mayor crush on you and all that stuff, but I didn't tell you to go kiss him!" Chad exclaimed, making Gabriella frown at him.

"Why is it so bad?" she questioned him.

Chad opened his mouth to answer, but decided to close it instead before making another question. "How did he react?"

Gabriella blushed. "Not too good," she admitted.

Chad changed his position on the porch swing so he could have a better look of Gabriella. "Do tell."

"I mean," she sighed. "At first… he did kiss me back and… we… uhh," she cleared her throat.

Chad blinked. "Let's skip that part," he suggested, shrugging his shoulders.

"Right, thanks," she blushed. "When we pulled back, at first… it looked like he didn't want to let go of me, but… eventually he did, saying that… it was wrong, that… it couldn't be and… that I would just get hurt, that he couldn't have a relationship and much less with me," she looked down at her hands.

Chad studied her for a moment. The hurt on her face was evident. He couldn't understand why she was so depressed over it; it wasn't like she has known the guy very long.

He sighed, deciding that it didn't matter and he sat closer to her, passing his arm over her shoulders and bringing her closer to him.

"It's okay, Gabs," he told her. "He's not an easy person; you know it…" he continued to rub her arm as Gabriella rested her head over his shoulder. "Just… try giving him his space; you'll make him get more defensive if you continue pushing…"

Gabriella nodded. "It's just that..." she sighed. "Just when I thought that I was finally able to look past his stupid mask, he goes and ruins everything! I think… that's what's really bothering me, more than the fact that he rejected me," she pulled away from Chad's embrace. "Well, at least I got him admitting that he liked me," she smirked lightly to herself.

Chad's eyes widened. "Really?" the brunette nodded. "Well, that's something to announce on the school's paper," he joked, making his friend laugh.

* * *

><p>When the microwave beeped, Annie opened it up and took the plate out. She placed it in front of Troy and arched an eyebrow when she noticed that he was staring blankly at the granite counter.<p>

"Earth to Troy," she waved her hand in front of his eyes and he blinked, looking up at her. "Welcome back, did you have fun on your trip?" she joked and he rolled his eyes.

"Yes, why, thank you," he answered sarcastically, making the brunette chuckle. He looked down at his plate and he suddenly felt his stomach growl; he hadn't realized how hungry he really was.

"So," the brunette sat beside him. "How's the girl?"

"What girl?" he asked, taking a bite of the steak.

"Gabriella, I think," she smiled, noticing how Troy's cheeks turned slightly red.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Good, I guess…"

Annie rested her cheek on her hand. "You didn't see her today?"

"Nope," he blushed harder, placing another bite of meat into his mouth and trying to keep his act together.

The cook laughed. "You did!" she smiled. Troy continued to chew, placing a piece of potato into his mouth, nervously. "Oh come on, Troy!"

"What?" he mumbled with his mouth full.

"I know you want to tell me," she smirked at him.

"Nothing interesting happened," he said.

"Right," she nodded. "That's why you're blushing and placing an unbelievable amount of food in your mouth so you can't talk."

"I'm just hungry."

"Of course you are," she smirked.

"I am!" he exclaimed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand; Annie grimaced and reached her hand out to grab a napkin from the center of the kitchen island, handing it to him. He grabbed it and finished wiping his mouth.

He turned to look at the cook and rolled his eyes when he saw that she was giving him a meaningful look. "Annie!" he groaned.

She continued to stare at him.

"Okay fine!" he exclaimed, getting annoyed and… disturbed. He sighed. "If I tell you, will you quit bothering me with your stupid look?"

She grinned. "Yes."

He glared at her. "You're so annoying."

"You love me," she shrugged and then continued to grin. "Now talk!" she moved her chair a little closer to Troy and he rolled his eyes.

"You're acting like a gossipy teen…" he said.

"Troy!" she scolded. "Quit avoiding the subject. Talk!" she ordered.

"Okay fine!" he rolled his eyes again and looked down at his half eaten food. He felt the heat rising up his neck and cheeks, making Annie grin. It annoyed him that she was being persistent, he didn't like to be pushed around and he liked his privacy. But… maybe this was a good tester.

"I… uhm… I kiss-," but before the teen could go on, the kitchen door slammed open, making both of them to turn and look at it. Jack Bolton stood there, looking mad. Annie gulped.

Troy never understood what was up with him and his dramatic entrances when he was angry, and he didn't understand why he never heard him arrive home either.

"Annie," Jack said, somewhat surprised that she was still there by that hour. "I didn't know you were still going to be here," he said, placing his briefcase over the kitchen counter, right in front of Troy.

The teenage boy immediately felt the tension rising up in the atmosphere and he frowned up at his father; this wasn't good.

"It was my fault," Troy told him, trying to somehow, protect Annie. "I… kept her from going home."

"Why?" Jack arched an eyebrow at his son.

Troy shrugged. "I came home late and told her to heat me up the dinner."

Jack nodded. "Annie," he told her without turning to look at her. "You're excused to leave."

"Yes Sir," she nodded her head nervously and gave Troy a look before standing up. She hesitated a little bit; she felt that this was going to turn ugly.

Troy gave her a reassuring smile and she nodded, making Jack frown.

Annie excused herself and exited the kitchen. She had a bad feeling about this; a really, really, really bad feeling. Why was she feeling so anxious? It's not like Jack would do something to Troy, right?

Right?

Maybe she should stay….

No. She can't do that, Mr. Bolton would find out sooner or later and would fire her for prying. But… Troy…

She bit her lower lip nervously, grabbing her coat and purse. She hesitated a little bit before walking up to the door and opening it.

As soon as Troy heard the door close, he knew that things were going to turn very ugly; his dad had waited for Annie to leave and he didn't consider that as a good sign. Normally Jack didn't care if someone listened to them fight.

Troy's shoulders tensed as he saw the look in Jack's eyes. Yep, this wasn't good.

"You skipped class today," he told his son.

Troy shrugged, grabbing his fork to continue eating. "So?"

"It's the fifth time that Principal Matsui calls me to my office this month, Troy," he said. "He interrupted a very important meeting."

"Nice," he answered deadpan, chewing on this baked carrot.

Jack slammed his fist over the counter, making not only Troy jump but his plate as well. "I'm not playing around Troy Alexander!" he yelled at him.

"Well, what do you want me to say, huh!" he yelled back at him.

"Do not speak to me in that tone of voice, young man!" he hissed at him.

Troy scoffed. "I'll stop when you stop. Sounds fair?"

"Look Troy, you're pissing me off here," he told him with rage evidentially showing in the tone of his voice. "Where the hell were you?"

Troy looked at him for a moment, studying the angry features on his face before narrowing his eyes at him and looking back down to his plate; he wasn't that hungry anymore, but he continued eating anyway.

"Answer me," Jack demanded. "Where were you?"

"What do you care?" he said bitterly. He knew that if he told him where he was, they would get into a subject that Troy didn't want to get into.

"I'm not going to repeat it again, Troy. Where were you?" he insisted.

Troy chuckled. "You just repeated it," he mocked him, placing another piece of meat into his mouth.

Then, the teen jumped when the plate was brutally pushed away from him, by the back of his father's hand, making it crash against the floor and the food to spill all over the place. Troy looked up at his dad, finding it hard to keep himself together now.

"Where. Were. You?" his dad repeated the question.

Troy stared up at him, not saying a word, before diverting his eyes down to the stained floor. "I ain't cleaning that up," he told him, standing up.

"Troy," he warned him.

"Save your threats for someone else, Jack," Troy rolled his eyes, attempting to leave the kitchen.

Oh, but Jack wouldn't let him go that easily; he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him back, making their noses almost touch. Troy's heart started raising its pace, feeling a little scared now at the proximity of his father's intimidating face. Troy felt a little uneasy without the counter in the middle of them now.

"Let go of me," Troy growled at him, grabbing his father's wrist and pulling back a little, but Jack didn't let go of him.

"Where were you?" Jack hissed on his face. But Troy didn't answer. "Troy, where the _fuck _were you?"

"Why do you want to know, huh?" he asked back. "It's not like you actually care about me."

"WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU, TROY ALEXANDER!" he yelled at him at the top of his lungs, making Troy close his eyes.

_Fine! _He thought, letting out an exasperated sigh. He opened his eyes, and once again, blue met blue. "Okay," he nodded his head. "Want to know where I was?" he grabbed his father's wrist once again and pulled it brusquely so that he would let go of his shirt. "I was at my mom's grave."

Jack's eyes went wide for a moment and he stared at Troy unbelieving before he gained his composure back. He gritted his teeth. Troy knew that Jack didn't like it when he went to his mother's grave, in fact, he had forbidden it for him to go; that's why Troy didn't want to tell him where he was at, Jack had no idea that Troy visited his mother frequently.

"Why were you there?" he hissed at him angrily. "You know you're not allowed to go there."

"And why not, huh?" he asked him. "Why can't I go visit my mother? And why can't I bond with Annie? Or Nicole or Isabelle, huh? It's a stupid rule and you know it! They work here, Jack! What, do I have to restrain myself from talking to them? You know very well that's impossible!" he yelled at him. "So why can't I bond with Annie or any of them!"

"BECAUSE YOU DON'T DESERVE ANY KIND OF RELATIONSHIP, TROY!" he yelled at him. "DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HAPPY, HUH? AFTER WHAT YOU DID? YOU RUINED MY LIFE, TROY!" he pushed him, making him crash against the fridge.

Troy stared at him, now breathing heavily. "And you ruined mine," he answered harshly. "Don't you think I feel guilty enough for you to keep reminding me of it, huh?"

"YOU DESERVE THAT GUILT!" he yelled. "NO ONE BROUGHT IT UP, BUT YOU!"

"I KNOW THAT!" he yelled back. "I KNOW, JACK! I'M NOT AN IDIOT!"

"WELL I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE VERY AWARE THAT YOU'RE A SCUMBAG!"

"AND YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE!" he shot back, walking past him and bumping him on the shoulder on purpose.

"GET BACK HERE, I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU!" Jack yelled after him.

"Oh, but I'm so done with you," he hissed angrily, pushing the white swinging door of the kitchen open to the main hallway.

Annie covered her mouth with both hands as she watched Troy run up the stairs angrily. She and the maids had heard everything; they had leaned on the wall next to the white swinging door after Annie decided to stay.

Nicole and Isabelle were speechless; they have heard the Bolton's fight before… but they had never heard Jack Bolton say those awful things to his son before. The three of them jumped a little when they heard something from the kitchen being broken.

Annie felt like crying. She wanted nothing but to enter there and yell the crap out of Jack Bolton, but now she wanted to keep her job more than ever, and it was only because of the teenage boy that had ran upstairs with a pained expression on his face. Now she could understand why Troy was always so distant with her and why he was so afraid to open up to her; his father was such an asshole! All the respect she felt towards Jack Bolton was lost in less than three minutes.

"NICOLE, ISABELLE!" Jack yelled. "GET IN HERE!"

The maids looked at each other with fright in their eyes before they looked at Annie.

"Go," Annie whispered at them and they nodded.

"Clean this mess up," Jack told them angrily as they entered the kitchen. Meanwhile Annie tiptoed over to the stairs and ran up as silently as she could.

Once she reached the third story of the gigantic house he searched for Troy's room; she had never been to his room before, all she knew is that it was on the third story. She looked around and all the doors looked the same. She let out a sigh and decided to try the first door, but before she could open it she heard a noise that came from the door next to her. She felt like rolling her eyes; close enough.

Annie walked over to Troy's bedroom door and took a deep breath before taking a hold of the doorknob and turning it. The cook slowly opened the door and her heart sunk to her stomach when she saw Troy sitting on the floor with his back resting against his bed. He had his head between his hands and his knees pulled up to his chest; Annie had never seen him so vulnerable before.

She slowly and silently closed the door behind her and walked over to an unmoving Troy.

"Troy," she whispered to him, kneeling in front of him. He didn't seem to react at the sound of her voice, so Annie decided to place her hand over his shoulder softly; but as soon as she touched him, Troy jerked away.

"Get out," he hissed.

"Troy…" she tried. "Please, don't listen to your dad, I-."

"I said: Get out," he cut her off, not looking up at her.

She sighed. "Troy…"

"ANNIE!" he yelled at her, looking up from his hands. Annie jumped a little at the sudden rude tone in his voice. "NO! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" he stood up, getting away from her.

Annie observed as Troy leaned against the wall next to his window, looking blankly out of it. She stood up and walked up to him slowly. "Troy, c'mon, listen to me," she said with a soothing voice.

"No," he shook his head. "I don't need your comfort, Annie," he said, watching the cars pass by. "I don't need anyone."

"But-," she tried.

"Annie, don't push it," he hissed, turning to look at her. "Get the fuck out."

The brunette looked at the teen for a moment; she wanted to help him, but she didn't know how if he didn't let her. She let out a sigh and nodded her head; but she knew that if she pushed him, he would just clam up even more.

"Okay," she said before turning around and walking up to the door. "But you _do_ deserve to be happy, Troy," she told him before exiting his room.

Troy closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, I don't."

* * *

><p><strong>Ah, the drama, the drama! Hehehe.<strong>

**Sorry once again for the wait guys, but damn! My mid-terms were hell hard! You have no freaking idea! I took a few days to rest properly before I decided to finish the chapter, plus I got writer's block at some point between this chapter and I didn't know how to continue xD.**

**But it's now out and I hope you have enjoyed it! **

**I'll try to upload one more chapter this week since I have a little free time (I still have things to do -.-). **

**So as you know: Please Read, Enjoy and Review!**

**And sorry there wasn't any Troyella interaction in this chapter, you know I normally try to put some Troyella in each chapter, but I wanted this one to be more about Troy than Gabriella, but I also wanted some Chadella bonding since Chad's gonna be that best friend Gabby's gonna turn to. (I kinda hate Taylor! xD ) **

**Sorry for any Grammar and Spelling mistakes! **

**Xoxo, Mary. **


	11. Partners

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Ten_

* * *

><p>The next four months went by quickly. November, December, January and now they were in the middle of February; four whole months… in which Gabriella didn't speak to Troy at all.<p>

All he could say is that he felt relieved that the girl finally understood that he couldn't have any sort of relationship with her; it was easier for him that way. He didn't have to restrain himself from wanting to… touch her or something; it was exhausting. And this way, he actually felt in a better mood…until he found himself staring at her in Biology class, or lunch, or Gym class, or wherever they were and feel frustrated that he actually wanted her near. He couldn't help it; every move she made, he found himself looking… and not even once she turned to look back at him… that he noticed of. And that also frustrated him.

Yes, there was a lot of staring, but no contact.

He was quite proud of himself, actually.

Troy sighed as he pushed his fried eggs around with his fork. He wasn't that hungry, but Annie wasn't letting him get up from the table until he finished his breakfast. He hated her pregnancy hormones; she was way more annoying.

"Annie," Troy groaned.

"Do not make me shove them down your throat, Troy," she warned him, turning around from the sink with a soapy spatula in her right hand and the left one resting on her hip, making her five month baby bump more noticeable. "Finish them up!"

Troy rolled his eyes. "I'm not hungry!"

"I don't care, you need to have something in your stomach if you want to keep up in class," she told him, turning back around to finish washing the dishes.

"I don't even enter the classes," he mumbled to himself, taking a bite of his eggs.

Annie didn't seem to have heard him as she finished washing the dishes and continued moving around in the kitchen, cleaning everything she found on her way that was dirty enough to be cleaned again. She couldn't stand things being untidy and dusty, especially since her nose was very sensitive and she would sneeze even if the smallest particle of dust got into her nose. After cooking, she helped the maids around the house; and all because of the pregnancy hormones.

Troy rolled his eyes but chuckled as he saw his cook scrubbing forcefully the counter right in front of him.

And to think that only four months ago, he was barely finding out that she was pregnant.

_Troy had no option but to get out of bed like any other morning. It had been a long time since he last felt this way, but after last night, it was no mystery why he felt like staying in bed and not do a fucking thing; but school sounded better than staying there with Annie trying to lighten him up. _

_The teen walked down the stairs with no hurry at all. He greeted Nicole and Isabelle on his way down and he frowned when he noticed a smell that came from the kitchen. Once he reached the kitchen, he pushed the door open and he blinked in surprise when he saw Annie already there, cooking something on the stove. _

"_What are you doing here?" he asked her, still standing by the door. _

_Annie turned around and fought the urge to roll her eyes; instead she gave him a smile. "Good morning to you too," she greeted him. _

"_You didn't take Mike to school again?" Troy questioned deadpan, finally entering the kitchen and sitting down at the kitchen island. _

_The cook shook her head as she turned back around to turn off the stove. "No, the poor thing is still sick; maybe he won't go to school tomorrow either."_

"_Ah," Troy articled, nodding his head. _

"_Yep," Annie nodded, taking out a plate from the cupboard._

_There was a small moment of silence before Troy cleared his throat. "What did you make?" he asked._

"_What does it smell like?" she smirked lightly before taking the plate to the counter and placing it in front of Troy._

_Troy looked down to his plate and he couldn't help but smile a little as he saw a plate of pancakes with a chocolate-syrup-happy-face and perfectly cut strawberry's around them. _

"_Smile," Annie requested, making Troy chuckle a little. _

_He looked up to thank her but he frowned when he noticed the huge dark circles under her eyes and the slight greenish tone of her skin. _

"_Annie, you look like hell," he told her._

"_Jeez, thank you," she rolled her eyes. _

"_Did you puke again this morning?" Troy asked her. _

_The cook nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry… that tends to happen when your husband gets you pregnant for the third time," she smiled jokingly down at him and Troy's eyes went wide. _

"_You're pregnant?" he exclaimed._

"_Yes," her smile got bigger. "Found out last night."_

_Troy blinked. "Wow, I mean… wow!" _

_Annie rolled her eyes. "Say that every time you find out."_

"_No, is that," he shook his head. "Aren't you too old to have more babies?" he asked her, jokingly._

_The cook gasped, slapping him with the dishcloth that was tucked between her apron and her waist. "Hey!" _

_Troy chuckled and smiled up at her. "Joking. Congrats, Annie," he said. _

_She smiled down at Troy. "Thanks Troy," she said. "Now eat up, you're going to be late for school."_

_Troy rolled his eyes. "Uh-huh." _

He couldn't believe that he thought that she was annoying then. He sighed. He definitely forgot how Annie behaved when she was all hormonal and touchy. Troy hoped that after this muffin was out of the oven, there wouldn't be more to come; three kids are a lot to handle for a mom that works and a father that is a doctor at the local hospital.

But… he had to admit it, seeing Annie so happy about her new baby, cheered him up that morning quite a bit. He doesn't know how she does it, but she always seems to cheer him up… even in the weirdest and least expected ways.

After Troy finished his breakfast with his stomach all knots, he kissed Annie's cheek goodbye and exited the house. He walked over to a black motorbike. A 2007 Honda CBR125R, to be more precise.

It had been a Christmas present from his father, in attempt to apologize to his son for the way he had behaved the last time they talked –or more liked fought– ,knowing that Troy always wanted one. They didn't talk until that Christmas morning, and Troy was quite shocked.

_Troy ran down the stairs with a sweaty shirt on and a couple of sweatpants, he just finished working out in the gym room. It was Christmas morning, so Annie wasn't home and neither were the maids; so Troy was kind of bored._

_He walked into the kitchen and opened up the fridge to take out a cool bottle of water. He opened it up and took two long gulps before he went back to the living room and sat down on the couch, turning on the TV. He heard someone clear their throat behind him and he turned around._

_He kept his bored expression on as he saw his father standing there awkwardly. _

"_Hey son," he greeted him, giving him a half smile. Troy only glared at him and he turned his attention back to the TV._

"_Go away," he told him, switching the channels and taking a sip of his water bottle. _

_Jack grimaced as he walked into the living room and stood next to Troy. _

"_What!" the boy exclaimed._

"_Look, son," he sighed. "Could you come with me for a second?"_

"_Eh, no?" he rolled his eyes._

"_Just for a second," Jack said. _

"_Why?" he arched an eyebrow at him. _

"_Please?" Jack rolled his eyes._

"_Yeah- No," he shook his head at him and turned back to the TV. _

_The older Bolton sighed. Okay, he kind of deserved that. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a key, tossing it at Troy. He caught it and stared up at Jack with a confused expression on. _

"_Merry Christmas, son," Jack told him. _

"_What the hell is this?" Troy questioned._

_His father shrugged, giving him a slight grin. "Your Christmas present."_

"_Why?" he stared at him shocked and still confused._

"_It's uh… a way of apologizing, son," Jack said, clearing his throat. "I thought this might've been a good idea. You always wanted a motorcycle, right?"_

"_Y-you bought me a motorcycle?" he stared at him like he had two heads._

"_Like I said; Merry Christmas, son," Jack smirked and patted his shoulder before walking off to his office, leaving a really perplexed Troy behind._

"_What… the… fucking… fuck?" Troy mumbled, staring after his father._

He was starting to think that his father was bipolar. One moment he's telling him that he doesn't deserve happiness and the next he's giving him a motorbike for Christmas. Troy didn't complain about the bike, though. It was pretty damn cool.

The handsome teenage boy mounted his bike and put his black full-face-helmet on, that actually made him look hotter than he was already. He turned on the motorcycle and made the engine roar a couple of times before he kicked the pedal down and sped off.

**(A/N: Okay, I have no idea how a motorcycle works, so just play along.) **

It took him a while to learn how to ride it, but he managed to do it after a couple of weeks. He now looked like a pro and he liked it. He liked feeling the speed and he liked the loud noise of the engine as he accelerated.

Once he reached the school's parking lot, all heads turned to look at him as he parked in front of the school's building. Some girls giggled and bit their lower lips as he took his helmet off and shook his head to get rid of the _'helmet-shaped-hair'_ he hated; some guys just rolled their eyes with jealousy.

He got off his bike and arched an eyebrow as he saw a group of girls waving flirtatiously at him. He shook his head at them and continued walking with a slight smirk on his face. Okay, he admits it… he does like the girls' attention.

As Troy entered his homeroom, his eyes immediately searched for one specific girl. He small smiled when he saw her scribbling down on her notebook and pushing her glasses up her nose each time they slid down; she was probably finishing some homework she forgot to do last night. Troy walked over to his seat and sat down right in front of her, his back facing her. Two seconds later, the bell rang, making a mass of students rush into the classroom and Ms. Darbus to push her way through to her desk.

"Good morning, class," she greeted her group, placing her colorful bag over her desk and sitting on the edge of it. Her eyes landed on Troy. "Ah, Mr. Bolton! Nice of you to join us on time, today," she said sarcastically at him.

Troy smirked at her. "It's my pleasure, Ms. D."

The teacher humph-ed at him and her eyes narrowed as she looked past the blue eyed teen to the young brunette behind him. "Ms. Montez, could you put your notebook away and pay attention, please?" she scolded, making the brunette look up from her work and blink at Ms. Darbus.

"Huh?" she said. "Oh! Yes! I'm so sorry," she nodded and closed her notebook, placing it back into her backpack.

"Thank you," the blonde teacher smiled. "Now," she rubbed her hands together. "As you may know, the school suspended the annual Spring Ball on January for technical problems, our dear Ms. Andy James, captain of the Decathlon team, got a terrible appendicitis and she couldn't conclude with the program," she sighed.

"Boo-Hoo," Troy mumbled, resting his cheek over his fist.

"Now the school decided to resume this activity, but unfortunately, Ms. James won't be able to come back in at least two more weeks," she said, smiling around the class room and slightly glaring at Troy, who rolled his eyes. "So, I'm gonna pass a sign-up sheet around the class for the ones who wish to help and earn a couple of extra points," she said, giving the sign-up sheet to one of her students for them to pass around the class. "Any questions? Doubts? Suggestions? Complaints? No? Good. Moving on…"

Just as Ms. Darbus finished giving the last news of the day and began talking about her precious upcoming musical, the bell finally rang, making Troy sigh with relief; he simply hated when that woman rambled on and on about her _Twinkle Town_ shit. She made that same musical every year, and people were starting to get really sick of it.

"Ms. Darbus?" Troy heard Gabriella say as they both stood up. "Excuse me," she mumbled to Troy and pushed lightly by him, walking up to the teacher. He arched an eyebrow at her.

"How can I help you, Ms. Montez?" Ms. Darbus asked, taking a sip of her water bottle.

"Uh, about this Spring Ball thing," she started. "I-I really need the extra points on Math and History, so-."

"Yes, Ms. Montez, you can use them on those classes," Ms. Darbus nodded.

"Oh, okay! Great!" Gabriella smiled. "Oh, and… uh, where are we going to meet and when?"

"Today after school, Ms. Montez," the teacher answered. "At the music room."

"Okay, thank you, Ms. Darbus," Gabriella said.

"No problem," she nodded and watched as the brunette disappeared through the door.

Troy watched Gabriella walk away as well, and couldn't help but stare down at her hips; he simply loved to look at them sway from left to right. He hated this. He hated that he couldn't get her out of his mind even when they made some distance between them. She just had to appear into his life and make him get obsessed over her; well he wouldn't exactly called it 'obsessed' since he didn't exactly stalk her or anything, but he liked to stare. A lot. And think about her. A lot.

Yet again, he could never do anything about it. And much less now, that she has lost interest in him. At least he was right about that; she would've gotten tired of him sooner or later.

"Mr. Bolton?" Ms. Darbus cleared her throat to get his attention. The blue eyed teen snapped out of his trance and looked over at his homeroom teacher.

"Yes?"

"I noticed that you didn't sign up to help with the Spring Ball," she said.

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "That's because I didn't?"

"I do not appreciate the sarcasm, Bolton," Ms. Darbus glared at him.

"Sorry," Troy mumbled sarcastically again, rolling his eyes.

Ms. Darbus narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, but decided to let it go. "And why didn't you?"

The teen shrugged. "I don't want to."

Ms. Darbus stared at him with a frown, crossing her arms. "Troy, you could use this extra credit the school's giving you."

"On what?" he scoffed. "It's not like I'm failing anything."

"I know," the teacher nodded. "But, you've been skipping class a lot, Mr. Bolton."

Troy frowned. "What about it?"

"The school has a policy about continuous truancy, young man," she said. "I'm afraid that if you keep up with this, you might have to repeat the year."

Troy was taken aback by this. "For real?"

"For real," she nodded.

Troy blinked. "So, you're saying…"

"That you might as well want to do this," Ms. Darbus said. "These extra points may save you from the attendance points you've been missing."

Troy sighed, frowning. Okay, he never thought that skipping class too much would get him into this situation. He will have to stop from now on if he wants to graduate. Or at least until next year.

The teen nodded. "Alright, I'll do it."

"Perfect," Ms. Darbus smiled. She liked Troy; he may be a pain in the ass at times, but he was a good kid and Ms. Darbus cared for him. If she had the chance to save his ass, she would.

* * *

><p>Chad laughed, squeezing Taylor to his side as Austin, one of his teammates, said an awful joke about religion.<p>

"Dude, shut up," Chad chuckled.

"Aw, come on! Why! It's a great joke!" Austin smirked.

"Where do you get that much shit from?" Zeke asked, shaking his head at him.

The blonde teen shrugged. "Internet."

Sharpay shook her head as she walked over to her little group of friends, wrapping her arms around Zeke's waist. "So you just search for jokes all day besides porn?" she joked, making her friends laugh.

Austin laughed, shaking his head at her. "Stop projecting yourself, Evans!"

"I'm not!" she gaped at him, slapping him on the arm.

"Hey guys!" Gabriella smiled, as she walked by them. "Bye guys!"

"Aw! Gabs, come on!" Chad whined. "Don't go!"

Gabriella smiled at him. "Sorry Chad, I'm in a hurry. I have History class next and if I get late again, Fritch is going to murder me!" she rolled her eyes.

"Fine! But you better not stand us up at lunch!" he glared at her playfully.

The brunette laughed. "Depends on how much homework I need to get done."

"Gabby, I'm not even that worried about my homework!" Taylor rolled her eyes.

"That, dear Taylor," Gabriella smiled. "Is because you don't work 5 hours after school and 2 more hours before school starts."

Sharpay nodded. "The girl's got a point."

"Thank you, Shar," she smiled and then giggled. "See you later guys," and with that, the brunette beauty walked off to her locker, that was just across the hall from the little group.

"She totally ignored me again," Austin grumbled, crossing his arms like a five year old.

Zeke laughed. "Dude, I wouldn't blame her. You've been trying to make a move on her since the year started."

"Yeah, you stalker!" Sharpay glared playfully at him.

"Am I bad looking? Do I have a bad breath?" he questioned.

"No," Taylor arched an eyebrow at him.

"Then why won't she even notice me!" Austin exclaimed.

"Austin, she's simply not interested," Sharpay smiled sympathetically at him.

"Yeah, dude! Give up," Chad shook his head at him. "You're only going to piss her off even more if you keep on hitting on her."

"Maybe she's just playing hard to get," Austin mumbled. "I mean, no girl has ever rejected me before!"

"Gabby's different," Chad said. "And trust me; unless you want your ass kicked, you better stop with your stupid game."

Austin sighed. "Alright," he mumbled, making Chad smile."I'm gonna go try one more time," the blond dude with green eyes smirked before walking away from his friends and over to Gabriella's locker.

"Austin!" his friends groaned.

"Ugh, just let him be," Sharpay rolled her eyes. "He'll get tired, eventually."

"And it's fun to watch him get rejected over and over again," Zeke smirked, making the little group of friends laugh.

Gabriella sighed tiredly, rubbing her left eye with the palm of her hand a little before she finished placing her books in her locker. She searched for her history book and then for her Spanish book –she definitely didn't know why she had to take the Spanish class if she spoke it perfectly; she sometimes found herself correcting the teacher, making her glare at the brunette. But it was something she couldn't help but do, it was like when her cousins came to visit from Mexico and she corrected their English. _I must be really annoying._ She thought.

Just as the brunette was zipping up her backpack, her locker slammed shut, making her jump lightly and look up. She mentally groaned when she saw Austin leaning against her locker and smirking down at her.

"Hey baby," he greeted her.

She sighed. "Austin, not now, I'm not in the mood for you."

"Aw, what's the matter?" he smiled down at her. "Who pissed you off?"

Gabriella glared up at him. "No one, but you're doing one good hell of a job right now."

"Ooh, sassy," he smirked. "Come on, Gabby. Why do you hate me?"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "I don't hate you, Austin. I just hate that you apparently don't get that I'm not interested in you and keep bugging the hell out of me!" she exclaimed. Her stomach turned a bit; her words sounded so familiar. "Now if you excuse me, I have to get to class," with that, Gabriella tried walking away, placing her backpack over her shoulder. Austin grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back, making her collide with his chest.

"Austin!" she growled.

"Yes, baby?" he smirked.

"Let me go, you piece of shit!" she pushed him away and turned back around to leave, only to be grabbed by the arm again and pushed against the lockers. She winced. Austin caged her in, one arm on each side of her head.

"Come on, Gabby," he smirked. "I know you want me, so quit playing with me."

Gabriella glared up at him, her hands turning into fists and her face turning red of anger. "Look, hun..."

"Cute, you called me 'hun'," Austin chuckled.

Gabriella ignored him. "You have five seconds to get your ass away from me unless you want me to beat the shit out of you," she spat on his face. "I'm not a very patient person, Austin. And the only reason why I haven't punched you already is because I don't want to get suspended."

"You turn me on, baby," he whispered in a husky voice with an amused smile on his face. "You should threaten me more often."

"Okay, that's it," she hissed, pushing him back and punching him on the face.

The people that were in the hallway, gasped and 'oooh-ed'. Gabriella's group of friends gaped at her, but she didn't bother to look at them as she rubbed her fist and glared at the guy that she was beyond pissed with. She had one bad night of sleep, the level of stress in her body was high and she was in a hurry to get to class, she didn't need a clown hitting on her today… besides the fact that he's been hitting on her since January and she was sick of him already.

Troy leaned up against the lockers and stared amused at the little scene that was playing in front of everyone. He had to admit it; he was pleased with the fact that Gabriella finally punched that asshole. He deserved it.

"You, bitch!" Austin exclaimed, glaring up at her as he cleaned the blood from his cut lip.

"You earned it, asshole!" she hissed back at him."I told you to leave me alone, didn't I?"

The rage Austin felt was evident on his features as he launched himself at Gabriella, pushing her against the lockers again and grabbing her by her wrists. "No one… I repeat… _No One_ messes up with me like that. You hear me, bitch?"

"Okay, no," Chad shook his head frowning as he gently pushed Taylor aside and stepped forward to intervene, but he froze with wide eyes when he saw someone else approach them.

"I'm deaf, asshole!" Gabriella challenged him, struggling to get her hands free.

Austin felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He looked up from Gabriella only to be met by a fist on his face. Troy grabbed him by the back of the collar of his shirt and one of the arms that was holding Gabriella's wrist, and pulled him away from her. He pushed him against the lockers with his front pressed against the cold metal and his left arm behind his back. Gabriella's eyed widened in shock just like the rest of the people in the hallway; yes, this was going to be something people were going to talk about for the next few weeks.

"You know, someone should teach you how to treat a lady," Troy said to him calmly, pushing him harder against the lockers. "Didn't your mom teach you that you shouldn't hit women?"

"I didn't hit her," Austin growled, making him get slammed against the lockers again.

"I don't give a fuck," Troy growled back at him. "You shouldn't treat women like that, fag. And you should definitely not treat Gabriella like that," he hissed. "Touch her like that again, and I'm going to make you wish you weren't born. You hear me, asshole?"

"Yes," Austin mumbled.

"I can't hear you!" he yelled in his ear, making the blond teen wince.

"Yes!" he yelled.

"Yes, what!" Troy smirked.

"Yes, I w-won't touch her again!" Austin stuttered.

Troy nodded. "Good," he pulled him away from the lockers. "Now get the fuck out of here," and with that, he pushed him away, making Austin stumble a little and glare back at him before he stormed off.

"Mother fucker," Troy mumbled as everyone in the hallway cheered. The blood in his veins was still boiling with anger. How dare he? Troy knew that maybe he went a little too far with the threat, having no relationship with the brunette whatsoever, but he didn't exactly care; he wasn't gonna let Austin_ fucking_ Hobbs treat Gabriella like that.

Troy turned to look at Gabriella, who was still staring at him in shock. His eyes softened a little and the anger he felt, decreased as well. He cleared his throat, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

"Are you okay, Cupcake?" he asked her, looking directly at her in the eyes.

The brunette nodded, still feeling a little overwhelmed with this whole episode, but she smiled lightly at Troy; she had surely missed him calling her 'Cupcake'. Troy's heart fluttered with that innocent smile of hers; he loved how she was so… harmless and shy at times, but tough and aggressive when needed. That girl was full of surprises.

"Yes, uhm… thank you, Troy," she said.

Troy nodded. "No problem," he smirked lightly at her. "It's the last time I save your butt, Montez."

Gabriella scoffed, crossing her arms and smirking back at him. "Ah, really? Saving my butt?"

"Yes, pretty much," he shrugged. "See you after school, Cupcake," he winked at her and turned around, walking away from her. He rolled his eyes as soon as he noticed everyone staring at him. "What the hell are you looking at? Mind your own business, no lives!" he yelled at them, making everyone look away from him and start chatting between each other.

Gabriella shook her head and smiled after him. Oh yeah, it took her four months, but she finally succeeded. Troy Bolton finally reacted. Like a good scientist, she liked doing her experiments, and she decided to test another hypothesis of hers: she wouldn't talk to him in a while and see if he would come to first her. Like she said, it took her four months, and… she wasn't exactly expecting this specific encounter to happen, but… the important thing is that it happened. Right?

"Oh. Em. Gee," she heard both of her girlfriends say as they stood next to her along with the guys, staring at where Troy Bolton had disappeared.

"I know," Gabriella sighed, smiling really big. "I know," Chad patted her shoulder and she looked up at him with her silly grin. The afro-haired guy smirked down at her and winked.

* * *

><p><em>No. No. No<em>. Troy shook his head, walking to History class. _No, Troy, you have to be strong. Yes you helped her, and yes… you would've done it for any other girl in her situation, so no hard feelings about that. But seriously? Did you have to wink at her? Oh God! No, don't let your guard down. You're doing great, just keep it up. It's not that hard. Today after school, just… keep your distance. But try not to be such an asshole; she might think you're bipolar like Jack. Oh God, why did I have to get involved in that stupid scene? Do I always have to play the bad copy of Robin Hood? Yes… I'm truly stupid._

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><p>Gabriella sighed tiredly as soon as she heard the bell ring; she still had to go to this stupid meeting and then head off to the coffee shop. Why did she sign up for this shit again? Oh right, she's failing her least favorite classes. She didn't get why she just couldn't handle Math and History, it's not like they were that hard! She sighed; it was horrible.<p>

She put her glasses back into their case and then picked up her stuff before wishing her Chemistry teacher a good afternoon and exiting the room. She stopped at her locker to pick up some stuff and put away her Chemistry book. She suddenly frowned as a thought crossed her mind randomly.

What had Troy meant with: See you after school?

Was he planning on going to the coffee shop that afternoon? It's been ages since he last went there. She smiled excitedly; maybe going to work today wouldn't suck after all. She shook her head at herself. God, she sounded like a 13 year old having her first crush. She sighed and closed her locker.

By the time that Gabriella got to the music room, Ms. Darbus and a little bunch students were already there sitting on the ground and chatting away. She quickly recognized Sharpay and sat next to her.

"Hey Shar," the brunette smiled.

Sharpay smiled back. "Hey Gabby! What brings you to the music room in this lovely afternoon?"

Gabriella arched an eyebrow at her. "Uh, the same thing as you?" she grinned.

"So you're here for the free cookies, too?" the blonde joked, making Gabriella laugh and nod.

As both of the girls giggled, they heard the door open once again and they turned to see who else had come. Both their eyes widened when they saw Troy walking through the door, looking handsome in his dark blue jeans and his black t-shirt and his hoody hanging on his arm. Suddenly the room went quiet.

Troy rolled his eyes and walked over to the group, grabbing a chair on the way and sitting down behind Gabriella, who continued to stare at him confused.

"What?" Troy asked.

"No, nothing," the brunette blushed and turned back around, making Troy smirk a little. So that's what he meant with 'see you after school'.

Ms. Darbus arched an eyebrow at the teens; they've been flirting all year long and giving each other secret looks and smiles, and yet those two aren't together.

_Teen love is too complicated_. She thought, shaking her head lightly at the blushing brunette and the bored looking teen sitting on the chair behind her.

Suddenly, the extravagant looking teacher smirked silently to herself as an idea crossed her head. Gabriella was a very responsible student, and Troy, well… he needed some discipline. Her smirk grew wider; she might as well do something here.

"Okay everybody," the teacher said, clapping her hands and smiling excitedly, getting the students' attention. "It looks like we're complete. Is someone missing?" she questioned, and the students began whispering between each other before shaking their heads at the teacher. "No?"

"No," they answered monotonously.

"Okay, good," she smiled. "I need to be at the doctor's at 6 o' clock, so let's get this over with quickly," she said, grabbing the sign-up sheet from the desk behind her. "Here's what we're gonna do. So pay attention, because I'm not going to repeat it twice," she warned them, glaring at them. "For the next few weeks, the group's going to be meeting here after school with all the material you need to make this thing happen," she said, making a small pause. "I want to divide you into groups of two, so…" Sharpay quickly hooked her arm with Gabriella's, making the brunette smile and giggle a little at her. "My idea is to leave two people in charge of the whole thing per se; another pair will be in charge of the music; another one of the food; and the other one of the party theme and decorations," she said.

Sharpay raised her hand. "Can we choose our partners?" she grinned.

Ms. Darbus frowned for a moment. "Uh, no. I think it's better if I choose the couples," the small group of 8 groaned as Ms. Darbus began checking the list. "Okay, let's see…" she bit her lower lip. "Ms. Evans and… Ms. Nielson will be in charge of the music; …Ms. Diaz and Mr. Johnson will do the food; Ms. Jacobs and… Ms. Towers will do the party theme and decorations; and… Ms. Montez and Mr. Bolton will be the ones in charge," she finished with a huge grin. Oh, it's been so long since she last settled up someone to work together; this is going to be fun.

Both Troy's and Gabriella's eyes widened for a moment before Troy shook his head.

"Wait, what?" he frowned at the teacher.

Ms. Darbus arched an eyebrow at him. "Is there a problem, Mr. Bolton?"

"Yes!" he exclaimed, but then regretted when everyone turned to stare at him. He looked down at a confused Gabriella and he gulped. "I mean, no. No, everything's alright," he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck nervously and looking away from the beautiful brown orbs of the girl sitting in front of him.

Ms. Darbus shook her head at him and bit her lips together, trying to suppress her laughter. She nodded. "Okay, if you have nothing to say, let's move on," she said, making another small pause as she left the sign-up sheet over her desk. "Principal Matsui asked me to let you prepare the Spring Ball all by yourselves, that's why I put Mr. Bolton and Ms. Montez in charge. But," she raised her pointer finger in the air. "I'll be stopping by once in a while to see if you need help, I won't be completely out of the project," she smiled. "Any questions, young fellows?"

Sharpay raised her hand. "Yes, Ms. Evans?" Ms. Darbus asked.

"When can we start?" she smiled.

The teacher smiled as some of the bunch of students sighed. "As soon as you can," she said. "Now, if you don't have anything else to ask, then I'll be going," she grabbed the sign-up sheet and placed it inside a folder before grabbing her colorful bag and placing it over her shoulder. "You guys may go home now, see you tomorrow!" she smiled, making her way to the door.

As everyone said their goodbyes to the teacher, Troy stood up from his place and followed after her.

"Ms. Darbus!" Troy called her, as they both reached the door. Ms. Darbus turned to him with a curious look on her face.

"Yes, Mr. Bolton?" she asked.

"Uhm, uh… look," he sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Is it possible that you can… uh…change my partner?"

Ms. Darbus frowned. "I thought you said there wasn't any problem, Mr. Bolton."

Troy nodded. "No, I know. Is that," he sighed. "I didn't want to hurt Gabriella's feelings or anything…"

The teacher nodded. "Ah, I see," she continued to frown up at him with a confused look in her eyes. "Why don't you want to work with Ms. Montez?"

"Because, uh…I-I… uhm, you… I…" he sighed. "I'm not… completely comfortable working with her, that's all."

"Uh-huh," the teacher nodded with suspicion written all over her face. "Well, I'm sorry Mr. Bolton, but you know that I don't make any changes, not even in extra-curricular activities."

Troy frowned. "And why not?"

"Because I don't," she placed her hands over hips. "Troy, you have a leader behavior that I admire about you, but you're not very responsible. That's why I partnered you up with Ms. Montez; she's a very responsible student and will make sure that everything that's said it's done. You complement each other," she smiled; she wasn't exactly talking about the Spring Ball in that last sentence.

Troy huffed. "Yes, I get that, but why-."

"I said no changes, Bolton," she narrowed her eyes at the teen. "Don't try to finish with my patience, you know I'm someone who gets annoyed easily," she threw her scarf around her neck, making Troy jerk his head back a little before it hit him. "Now, I'll see you tomorrow in class, Mr. Bolton."

Troy sighed as he watched his teacher walk off. "Bye," he mumbled, taking his hands out of his jeans before walking back to the small group who were now standing up and saying their goodbyes to each other before exiting the music room.

He saw Gabriella leaning against the piano, checking her cell phone and biting her lower lip. He watched as Sharpay approached her and waved her hand in front of the brunette's face to get her attention. They hugged each other goodbye and then the blonde left with the rest of the students. He let out a puff of air as he walked up to Gabriella, who had turned back to her phone; this was going to be more awful than he thought.

The brunette looked up from her phone once again when she noticed someone standing in front of her. She felt her cheeks go a little hot as she stared up at the blue eyed boy. "Uh, hey."

"Hey," he gave her a small nod.

"Hi," she repeated.

"Hi."

There was a small moment of awkward silence between them, before Troy cleared his throat. "So, how are we going to make this thing work?"

"Oh," she blinked. "Uh, I don't know… uh… I-I uh, I could make us a schedule," she proposed. "You know, something that works for the both of us and uh… w-we could uh work at my house o-or at yours or…" Troy nodded, trying to play it cool.

"Sounds good," he said.

"Cool, so, uhm…" she bit her lower lip, flipping her phone shut. "C-Can we finish discussing this tomorrow? I-I need to be at my work in fifteen minutes and I need to run to catch the bus," she smiled shyly up at him.

Troy nodded. "Sure."

"Okay, cool," she said, bending down and picking up her backpack from the floor. "So, you wanna meet up after my work tomorrow to start with this crap?"

"Uh… yeah, okay," he nodded.

"Okay," she said. "So, uhm… bye."

"Bye."

"Bye," she lowered her head before placing her backpack over her shoulder and walking up to the door, but as soon as she grabbed the doorknob Troy stopped her.

"Wait!" he yelled. Gabriella turned her head around and blinked confused as Troy jogged up to her. "Uh, I-I could drive you," he said, taking the brunette by surprise. "I-I mean, so we can start planning our schedule and stuff," he cleared his throat. "A-And so you don't get late."

"Oh," she smiled, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering around wildly. "Uhm, uh… okay, that would be nice," she nodded.

"Cool," Troy smiled back.

"Cool."

* * *

><p><strong>Aaaand I have to leave it there. xD<strong>

**Sooo, the real thing is about to start in the next few chapters! You're probably wondering why I made Annie pregnant; don't worry… it's essential for my evil plans of the future! xD**

**Well, this one was quicker, don'cha think? I hope you liked this chapter! I really do! There was a little bit of drama, wasn't it?**

**Poor Troy though, he doesn't know how to manage his feelings towards her. He's so confused *sad face***

**Anyway!**

**Today I finally sent my collage application and my exam is on March! :D so wish me luck! I'm so nervous! **

**Sorry for any grammar and spelling mistakes. I'll check later, that I have to leave for school in 15 minutes. xD **

**And as you know: Please read, enjoy and REVIEW!**

**Xoxo Mary. **


	12. Schedule

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Eleven_

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><p><em><strong>RECAP<strong>_**: (SINCE IT'S BEEN TOO LONG AND YOU PROBABLY DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING XD)**

**Troy and Gabriella signed up to help with the Spring Ball (Gabriella needs the extra credit on Math and History, and Troy needs it b'cuz he's been skipping class too much and those extra points may save his ass).**

**They got partnered up on purpose by Darbus. **

**Troy punched the crap out of Austin cuz he was bugging Gabriella. **

**Troy offered Gabriella a ride to work, so they could work on their schedule afterwards. **

**Annie (Troy's cook) is preggo. Jack's still being an asshole xD**

**Troy's got a motorcycle now. Hahaha. **

**Characters: Jared and Mary work with Gabriella in the coffee shop and Jerry's her boss. (LYDIA IS A NEW CHARACTER)**

**Uhmm…. I think that's the essential things you need to remember. **

**PLEASE READ, ENJOY AND **_**REVIEW**_**!**

**(Sorry for the wait, my excuses are on the bottom of the page)**

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><p><em>Smart idea to offer her a ride to work, Troy, a really brilliant idea! You should win the novel prize for being the smartest avoider of all.<em> He thought bitterly as he walked over to the entrance, with his hands deep into his pockets, his almost empty backpack hanging from his shoulder and a frown adorning his handsome face. There was nothing left to do but to give her the darn ride and get over with it quickly. He could think of a thousand excuses to get out of this situation, but every time he opened his mouth to say something, the picture of her smiling brightly up at him stopped him from doing so. It was so frustrating that he didn't know how to keep his act together when he was around her, but that didn't keep him from trying.

Gabriella followed close behind, clutching the strip of her backpack tightly and biting her lips together, thoughtfully. She wondered why he looked so tense; a few moments ago, he seemed okay, or at least… better. What was going on in his mind?

Maybe she should've expected his sudden mood swings, but the thing is that she hadn't.

Troy pushed the entrance door open and stepped aside to let Gabriella go out first. Without a word, Gabriella continued to bite her lips together and she blushed under Troy's intense stare. The brunette looked around the parking lot and frowned when she didn't find Troy's legendary black Mercedes.

She also didn't notice Troy walking away from her as she continued to scrutinize the now almost empty parking lot. The blue eyed teen mounted on his motorcycle and placed his backpack on the handlebars. He rolled his eyes when he noticed that Gabriella was still standing on the same spot, looking around. He honked to get the brunette's attention and she turned around startled. Her eyes went wide and she gaped at Troy, making him let out an amused chuckle.

He motioned her to come over with his head and she gripped the strip of her backpack a little tighter as she walked over to the handsome teen.

Troy sighed, knowing that he was going to have to give Gabriella his helmet; sometimes he was a jerk, but he knew when he needed to be a… gentleman, if he could call it that. He grabbed his black helmet and tossed it over to Gabriella, who struggled to catch it but managed to do it.

"Put it on," Troy ordered.

"What about you?" the brunette asked right away, noticing that there was only one helmet.

"You need it more than me," he said. "Now put it on and get on," he took out his aviator shades from the front pocket of his jeans; he was going to need something to shield the wind from his eyes.

The brunette hesitated a little."Uh, what, uh… uhm, what happened with your car?" she questioned as Troy grabbed his backpack from the handlebars, placing a strip over his shoulder and accommodating the backpack so it was over his stomach.

"Still have it," he said. "Why you ask?"

"Oh. Uh, just… uh…curiosity," she answered, nodding her head.

"Right," Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "Are you getting on or not?"

"Uh…"

The blue eyed young man smirked a little at her. "Don't tell me you're scared."

"No," she shook her head. "Just uh… I just… I haven't ridden… one of these before," she admitted, biting the inside of her cheek.

Troy nodded. "Well, Cupcake, I don't have all day, so you can just get on or wait for the next bus in half an hour."

The brunette frowned at him for a moment before answering. "No, it's fine. I'll get on. You don't need to be an ass," she told him a little annoyed as placed the helmet over her head and then grabbed on to Troy's shoulder, passing her leg over the motorcycle. Troy smirked secretly to himself and shook his head with amusement. Gabriella finished adjusting Troy's helmet and then lifted up the shield that was covering her face so she could have a better look at…everything, really.

Troy put on his aviator shades and kicked down the pedal to turn on the motorcycle. Gabriella jumped a little startled at the sudden roar of the engine and gulped as Troy made it roar a couple more times. _Please God, don't let me die_. She thought.

Troy tensed a little as Gabriella encircled his waist with her arms, but soon relaxed, deciding that he liked it. He backed the motorcycle a little and turned the handlebars to his left before speeding off in that direction.

Gabriella let out a small yelp as the motorbike launched forward and instantly tightened the grip of her arms around Troy's waist. Something different began running through his veins as he sped down the road. Yes, the adrenaline was present, but there was something different about _this_ adrenaline. Then it popped into his head: he wasn't exactly concentrating on the speed like he always did, he was more aware that Gabriella's entire front was flushed against his back in need of security.

He tried to control the smile creeping up his face as he dodged a car and received a honk in response, but he couldn't.

Gabriella didn't want to open her eyes as she held to Troy for dear life; she always got dizzy when someone drove really fast. And there was also the fact that she didn't want to know how many red lights he had ignored by now as she heard a bunch of cars honk at them.

When they got to the Coffee Shop, Troy parked his motorcycle in the spot where he usually parked his car and killed the engine. He turned his head to look at Gabriella and chuckled when he saw her gripping him tightly and burying her face to his shoulder.

"Gabriella," Troy called her.

"Am I dead?" she asked, not letting go of his waist.

He arched an eyebrow at her. "No."

"You sure?"

"Yes," he told her. "We're here, so you can let go of me, now."

Gabriella pulled her head back and looked around, blinking. "Oh," she said. "That was fast."

Troy rolled his eyes. Of course it was fast, he ran like 5 red lights!

Gabriella slowly loosened the grip of her arms and let go of Troy's waist. Without another word, she got off the motorcycle and Troy soon copied her. The blue eyed teen stared down at the brunette as she began taking off Troy's helmet; even though it looked a little bit big on her, Troy thought that she looked cute.

"Thanks for the ride, Troy," she handed him his helmet and Troy nodded.

"It was no problem, Cupcake," he told her. "It's on my way home."

She nodded. "A-are you… are you going to stay for a while?" she asked, biting her lower lip and looking at him with nervous eyes. Troy frowned at her. "I-I mean, y-you did say we were going to work on o-our schedule," she readjusted her backpack over her shoulder and scratched her scalp a little with her free hand.

"Oh," he blinked. "Right, I said that," he cleared his throat and nodded.

"Okay, great," she smiled. "Well, my break is in two hours. You mind waiting?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?" he shrugged. "We have to do this at some point, so let's just get over with it quickly."

Gabriella frowned. "Okay, fine." _Asshole._ She thought.

"Okay."

"Okay," Gabriella nodded. "So…"

"After you," Troy gestured her to go first with his hand and Gabriella rolled her eyes, turning around and heading for the entrance. He followed right behind her, smirking, with his backpack hanging from his shoulder and his helmet tucked underneath his arm; he didn't feel comfortable leaving his helmet out with his motorcycle like he did when he was in school.

Troy pushed the crystal door open, taking Gabriella by surprise since she was going to do it herself. She looked up at him for a moment and blushed when she saw that his face was really close to hers and that he was looking at her as well. Troy managed to control himself as he arched an eyebrow at her, making the brunette's heart skip a beat. Gabriella arched an eyebrow back at him, trying to keep it cool just like he was; Troy chuckled at her and she frowned, sticking out her tongue at him. She turned around and got in, Troy still chuckling and following her. He simply couldn't describe how nice it felt to be around her, and that scared him.

Jared looked at the sight right in front of him, gaping. That maniac brought Gabriella to work? Mary rolled her eyes as she walked to the door that lead to the kitchen with a tray over her shoulder; she pushed on Jared's hanging jaw and closed it as she passed by.

"Flies are going to get in there if you don't close your mouth," she said.

Jared glared at her and was about to reply when Gabriella appeared right next to him. "Hey Jared," she greeted him.

"H-hi, Gabby," he greeted back.

"How are you?" she asked, smiling as she took her apron from underneath the counter where she had left it the day before.

"I'm good," he said. "You?"

"Fine," she said. "Where's Jerry?"

"Had to go out," he answered.

"And Mary?" she asked, tying the apron around her neck.

"In the back."

"Oh, okay," she smiled at him. "I'll take over the bar today, you can take the tables," she said.

Jared arched an eyebrow at her. "Does Mr. Asshole over there, has to do anything with it?" he motioned with his chin to where Troy was sitting, looking over the menu with his helmet on the bar, right next to him.

Gabriella frowned at Jared. "I just thought you liked working at the tables better. And he's not an asshole," she said.

Jared scoffed. "Don't tell me you started dating him."

The brunette glared at him. "That's none of your business," she said, taking out her notepad from the pocket of her apron and walking over to Troy. Jared shook his head at her and turned around, entering the kitchen.

"She's so going to regret it," he mumbled to himself.

Gabriella sighed and scribbled down on her notepad to check that her pen still had ink and stood right in front of Troy. What is it with Jared that he doesn't like Troy? Yes, Mary had told her that Jared couldn't stand him the first day Troy came over, but that doesn't give him the right to insult him or anything!

"Good afternoon, Sir," she joked. "Can I take your order?"

Troy looked up from his menu and arched an eyebrow at her. "Funny," Gabriella smiled. "Bring me a hot mocha, Cupcake."

"You sure? Don't you want a Cinnamon Roll or something else?" she teased him and Troy rolled his eyes.

"I don't like Cinnamon Rolls," he said.

"But you like Cupcakes," she smirked. Troy glared at her.

"Funny, Gabriella, really funny," he said. "Bring me my coffee!"

The brunette laughed and rolled her eyes as she walked away to prepare his coffee. Troy shook his head at her before looking back down at the menu. _Order a Cinnamon Roll with your coffee and get another one for free_. He read and shook his head. He looked back up to stare at Gabriella who was happily using the coffee machines.

He suddenly began to wonder. What was hidden underneath that happy exterior? Why she had two jobs? Why she worked a shift early before school in the flower shop and another one in afternoon in the coffee shop? It wasn't like she had to pay for school, since it was a public high school… so why does she need the money for?

For a moment, he also wanted to decipher the big mystery that Gabriella Montez was. She wasn't a hard person to read, he could tell; but there was something about her that he was sure she was hiding from everyone. There was something about that happy smile that made him wonder if she was faking it or not.

Gabriella turned around and walked back to Troy with his coffee and placed it on the bar, right in front of him. "Hot mocha," she announced. "You sure you don't want anything else?"

"No," he answered. "Get your ass to work, Montez," he told her and took the coffee before giving it a small sip.

"You know? Polite people say 'thank you'," she told him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Polite people are idiots," he said, staring ahead of her.

"Manners don't make you an idiot," she argued. "What makes you an idiot is the asshole attitude you're taking."

"Then walk away if you don't like it," he shrugged, looking down at his coffee. "Simple as that."

Gabriella frowned at him. "Fine, but I'm only doing so because I gotta work," she said. "I'll be back, Cinnamon Roll."

"Yay," he mumbled sarcastically, placing his coffee down and taking out his cell phone. Gabriella rolled her eyes before walking towards another client. Troy stared after her for a moment as she walked away, before turning back to his cell phone.

_I have some school work to do. I'll be home late for dinner. I'm at the coffee shop._

_-Troy. _

He texted Annie.

It wasn't long before she replied.

_Okay. Be careful. _

_-Annie. _

Troy frowned. Okay, it's not normal for Annie to reply with such a short text. Troy let out a puff of air; she was either mad at him for something he didn't even know he did or maybe she was taking her nap and didn't care what he did at that moment. He hoped it was the second option because dealing with a hormonal Annie was horrible. He sighed as he took another sip of his hot mocha and looked back up, searching for Gabriella. She was taking the order of a woman dressed in a baby pink summer dress. He watched as she smiled politely to the woman and scribbled down on her notepad.

"Right away, Miss," the brunette nodded and placed her notepad back into the front pocket of her apron. She looked up and, for a moment, Troy's and Gabriella's eyes met. Gabriella bit back a smile and torn her gaze away from him. She walked calmly towards the kitchen, being aware that he was looking at her every move, and then disappeared behind the kitchen's swinging door.

She smirked once she was sure she was out of his sight. That boy was going to be hers.

Troy shook his head and groaned, rubbing his face. That girl would never be his.

"Excuse me," he heard a voice say in front of him and he looked up. Troy arched an eyebrow at the blonde guy in front of him.

"Yes?"

"Could you take your helmet off the bar?" Jared asked with his arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his face. "People eat there."

"No shit," Troy said sarcastically, taking a sip of his coffee to hide the smirk forming on his lips. It always amused him to piss off this dude.

"Look buddy," Jared snarled. "The fact that you're dating Gabriella now doesn't mean you can do whatever you want in here. We-,"

Troy spat his coffee back into the coffee cup, cutting him off and making Jared scrunch up his nose, disgusted. "Dating?" Troy coughed. "That's what she said?"

Jared frowned. "Yes! Well… no," he shook his head. "I just assumed since you brought her to work and-,"

Troy continued to cough as he cut him off again. "Assumed? You just _assumed_ we were dating?"

"Well yes," Jared said. "It looked that way since you two-,"

"Look _buddy_," Troy mocked him and cleared his throat. "Why don't you just mind your own business and stop _assuming_ things?"

Jared glared at him. "Take your helmet off the bar."

"Bring me a Cinnamon Roll," he glared back. "Go on, do your job and stop pissing me off."

Jared tightened his jaw. "Look Bolton," Troy arched an eyebrow at him. "Yes I know your name. The fact that I work here and that I'm supposed to be friendly to the costumers, doesn't make it right for you to talk to me like that, because I'd rather punch you right now and get fired than to get humiliated by you."

Troy nodded. "And you think that that scares me because…?" he said, leaving the sentence unfinished. _That… _only made Jared go red of anger.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Jared spat at him. "You think you're so cool? You're just a no-life asshole. No wonder why Gabriella doesn't want to date you, she would never go for someone as lame as you are!" he yelled, making everyone in the coffee shop go quiet and turn to them.

"Oh," Troy nodded, keeping his cool attitude like always. He instantly understood what the problem was. "Now I see what's going on here," he smirked up at Jared, who narrowed his eyes at him. "You're jealous," he chuckled.

"What's going on?" both of the guys turned at the sound of Gabriella's voice and while Troy continued to chuckle, Jared widened his eyes when he saw both Gabriella and Mary standing there, each with a tray full of doughnuts, cupcakes, coffees and such, and looking at them curiously.

"N-nothing," Jared instantly answered. Troy shook his head and continued to laugh.

"Really? Because we heard you yell all the way from inside the kitchen," Mary said, arching one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows. Gabriella frowned as she noticed that Troy was turning red of his silent laughter.

"W-well," Jared cleared his throat. "H-he won't take his helmet off the bar," Troy snorted and Jared shot him a look.

"That's it?" Gabriella questioned. "You were yelling at him because he wouldn't take his helmet off the table?"

"Y-yes," Jared cleared his throat. "Basically."

Gabriella rolled her eyes as she looked past Jared to stare at Troy, who continued to chuckle. "Troy, could you please take your helmet off the bar?" she asked kindly.

Troy grabbed his helmet and placed it over his lap. Jared glared at him and the blue eyed teen shot him a smirk. _Yes, that'll do it._ He would normally argue with the brunette, but the idea to piss Jared even more, overtook the need to take the contrary of his forbidden fruit.

"You son of a-," Jared started.

"OKAY!" Mary exclaimed. "Let's go Jared, you need a small break," she grabbed him by the arm and quickly pulled him into the kitchen.

"What a loser," Troy mumbled to himself and Gabriella shot him a disbelieving look. She shook her head and proceeded to hand out each order she had taken, Troy following her every step with his eyes. When she was finally done, she turned to Troy and leaned over the bar with her arms crossed.

"Tell me," she started. "Why you have to be so rude?"

"Same reason you have to be such a pain in the ass," he smirked at her.

Gabriella grimaced. "Maybe I am a pain in the ass, but I know when I have to be polite," she said. "You didn't have to be so disrespectful to Jared."

Troy shrugged. "Maybe not, but he's a douche bag."

Gabriella scoffed. "Maybe he's a little bit of a prig, but he simply asked you to take your helmet off the bar, it wasn't a big deal."

Troy grinned. "Baby, he likes you."

The brunette blinked for a moment and then frowned at him. "What? What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

He rolled his eyes. "He wasn't yelling at me just because of the helmet," he said. "What is it about you that attracts blonde scumbags?" he frowned.

"I do not attract blonde scumbags!" she exclaimed. Troy chuckled.

"Austin Hobbs, Jared," he smirked, making a small pause. "And I believe Ryan Evan's got a thing for you, too."

"Who's Ryan Evans?" the brunette asked, making Troy laugh again.

He smiled at her. "Sharpay's twin brother?"

"Oh," she blinked. "Oh! You mean the guy that likes to eat crackers at Homeroom and Darbus always pretends not to notice?"

"That's the one," he nodded once.

"Oh you've got to be shitting me," she let her head drop and Troy shook his head, chuckling at her. "Why are guys getting interested on me so suddenly? It's never happened to me before. I've never been interesting!" she said, looking back up to Troy.

"That's hard to believe," he said, shaking his head at her.

The brunette frowned, feeling her heart skip a beat. "Why you say so?"

That's when he noticed that he had said it out loud. His eyes widened for a moment and then he cleared his throat awkwardly. "B-because if you weren't interesting, those dudes wouldn't be after your ass," he explained. Gabriella stared at him with a meaningful look. "What!" he exclaimed.

"You just can't accept the fact that you just made me a compliment, can you?" she shook her head at him.

"So," Troy cleared his throat again. "At what time your shift ends?" he asked, wanting to change the subject.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I told you," she said. "I have a break in two hours."

"I wasn't asking about your break," Troy told her. "I was asking about your _shift_."

The brunette glared at him for a second. "It ends at 8 o' clock," she informed him. "Why you ask?"

Troy frowned. "At _Eight_?" he let out a puff of air. "That's not going to work. We have a month to get this Spring Ball shit together, and we won't be able to do much if you get out of work that late."

"We can always use free periods," she shrugged.

Troy gave her a look. "Sure, because I want to spend my free period going over balloon colors and cheesy music," he said sarcastically.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Well it doesn't make me that happy either, but I can't cut down my work shift. Jerry will discount the hours from my check and I need the money!"

Troy nodded and looked at Gabriella thoughtfully for a moment, before he leaned back on his chair. "Okay," he nodded. "Let's make a deal."

"I'm listening."

"You cut down your shift Monday, Wednesday and Friday so we can work on the afternoon, and Tuesday and Thursday we can work on our free period," he said. "Sounds fair?"

Gabriella pondered it for a moment. "Uh…" she grimaced, shaking her head a little.

"Why not?" he frowned, leaning over the bar.

"I told you!" she exclaimed. "I need the money! Those are three good days of pay!"

"It's just a couple of hours per day," Troy rolled his eyes. "I'm not asking you to quit your job."

Gabriella sighed. "Look," she said. "Let me talk to my boss and I'll see what I can do, okay Cinnamon Roll?"

Troy narrowed his eyes at Gabriella's nickname for him. "You've got to stop calling me that."

The brunette smirked. "No, I like it."

* * *

><p>Jack rubbed his temples as he ended the call with one of his many costumers. They were going to drive him crazy one day. He pressed a button on his phone and called for his secretary.<p>

"Michelle, could you bring me a couple of pain killers and an espresso, please?" he asked through the intercom.

"_Right away Mr. Bolton,"_ she answered.

"Thank you," he mumbled and sighed. He looked up at the picture of his dead wife on his desk and he smiled sadly. How much he missed her. "Oh Lucy," he mumbled. "I would give everything to have at least one more of those relaxing massages you used to give me when I came home tired," he told the picture. "I miss you so much."

"_Mr. Bolton?_" the secretary's voice sounded through the intercom once again.

Jack groaned before pressing the button on his phone. "Yes, Michelle?"

"_Ms. Frank is here to see you_," she said. "_She says she's from the WTC and that you were expecting her?_"

"The WTC?" he mumbled to himself, frowning. Then his eyebrows shot up as he remembered and pressed the button. "Oh! The WTC, of course! Yes, yes, I was expecting her. Please send her in."

"_Okay_," she answered.

A moment later, Michelle, a woman in her early twenties with red hair and green eyes, opened the door and let a blonde woman in a gray blazer and skirt walk in. Jack stood up from his chair.

"Thank you, Michelle," he said to his secretary before she closed the door and let the two merchants alone.

Jack shook her hand, not being able but to notice her beautiful blue eyes. "Mr. Bolton, I'm Lydia Frank, the Sales' Director of the WTC. We spoke on the phone?"

Jack blinked for a moment, studying the beautiful woman in front of him. "Right, of course," he nodded, snapping out of his trance. "Please take a seat," he motioned the chair with his hand.

"Thank you," she smiled and both sat down. "So as we were discussing the other day, you wish to make a shipping deal with us, am I correct?"

"Yes," Jack nodded, smiling at Lydia. She reminded him so much of Lucille.

"Right," Lydia nodded, taking out some papers from her gray briefcase. "So here's the thing…" she started.

Jack had never experienced this lack of concentration before as the beautiful blonde explained her profits and time of transportation of her product. He had to force himself to concentrate on every word that came out of her mouth so he wouldn't get easily lost in those pink glossed lips that would pull up in a perfect white smile from time to time.

When she was finally done explaining, Jack crossed his arms. "Okay, I still believe we could do some arrangements on the price, but the plan doesn't sound bad," he said.

Lydia frowned. "What's wrong with the price?"

"I just think it's a little too expensive for what you're offering," he shrugged and then stood up. "Do you want something to drink?"

The blonde blinked. "Uh, uhm… water please?"

"Water," he nodded and opened the mini fridge that he had in his office and took out a cool water bottle. He took one of his perfectly accommodated glasses and poured the water in.

"But Mr. Bolton, I believe that the price we're offering is very accessible," Lydia continued to argue. "I don't think you'll get something cheaper than this in any other company," Jack handed her the glass of water. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he nodded and then sighed as he sat on the edge of his desk, next to Lydia. "Well, then I think we'll have to discuss this a little bit further and see if you can convince me," he smiled down at her. "Do you have dinner plans tonight?"

* * *

><p>"Another refill?" Gabriella asked as she stood up in front of Troy, ready to take his cup.<p>

"Depends," he shrugged.

"On what?"

"You almost done?" he asked.

Gabriella rolled her eyes and looked up to the clock hanging on the wall. She turned back to Troy and pointed to the clock behind her. "See the minute hand of that clock? When it reaches the twelve in exactly 5 minutes, I'll be on my break," she explained.

Troy scoffed. "You could've just said '5 more minutes', you know?"

She smiled. "What's the fun in that?"

"Has anyone told you that you're a big weirdo?" he arched an eyebrow at her.

"All the time," she said. "So, another refill?" she repeated her question.

"No," he shook his head. "I think with five cups is more than enough."

Gabriella laughed and nodded. "Sounds fair, I don't think you're going to get some sleep tonight," she joked.

Troy shook his head. "No, apparently caffeine doesn't affect me. I could drink 20 cups of coffee and still be sleepy by 10," he said, rubbing his face a little.

"Alright, so one more cup won't hurt," she nodded going for his empty cup.

"Oh no, no, no, Cupcake," Troy pushed her hand away. "I still need to get home with an empty stomach for dinner."

"Alright," she grinned and then sighed. "Well, then let me take this to the kitchen and when I get back we can start working on our schedule," she told him, grabbing the cup and walking away without waiting for a response.

Troy sighed as he placed both of his hands over his face and groaned. This is going awfully. He couldn't believe he was now joking around with her, even if he tried to keep the sarcasm in his monotone voice as they talked; but that only seemed to make Gabriella laugh harder. God, that laugh. That beautiful and breathtaking laugh. Yes, Gabriella Montez will be the death of him.

When Gabriella came back she walked around the counter and motioned him to follow her with her head. Troy arched an eyebrow at the girl before grabbing his stuff and standing up, following after her. She sat down at a table by the corner and Troy sat down in front of her.

"Why did we switch places?" Troy questioned.

"Because I always sit here when I'm on my break," she explained.

Troy rolled his eyes. "Okay," he said. "Do you have a pen and somewhere to write?" he asked.

"Uh, no," she shook her head before standing up and walking back to the counter. Troy turned half his body around, resting his arm on the back of the chair as she watched Gabriella bend down and disappear behind the counter. After a moment, she popped back up with a notebook and a pen in her hands. She walked back to Troy and sat down in front of him, opening her notebook and clicking on the pen's little ball.

"So, what are we finally doing with your work shifts?" Troy questioned.

"I don't know," she sighed. "Jerry hasn't come back from only-God-knows-where and I lost his cell phone number."

"Great," Troy scoffed.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him. "Well I'm sorry, okay? It's not my fault you don't want to work on free periods!"

"Fine! Let's work on free periods! But only an hour a day won't work to cover everything we have to do!" he argued. "Why did you volunteer anyway, if you weren't going to be able to do it?"

"Because I need that extra credit!" she argued.

Suddenly the bell chimed, signaling that someone came into the store. Gabriella turned her head to see that it was Jerry.

"Jerry!" she exclaimed. Her boss jumped startled and turned to Gabriella with wide eyes.

"Holy sh-. Gabriella, what the hell? Don't scare me like that!" he frowned as he approached the table where the two teenagers were sitting.

"Sorry," she apologized. "Look, I have a little problem."

Jerry frowned. "What problem?"

"You see," she sighed, looking briefly at Troy before turning back to her boss. "I have some school work to do on the afternoons, but if I cut down my shifts, you're going to discount that from my pay check, and I seriously need the money."

The green eyed guy arched an eyebrow at her. "That's it?"

"Uh, yes?" she frowned.

"How many hours you want to cut down?" Jerry asked.

"L-like two or three," she said. "But not every day, just Monday, Wednesday and Friday," the brunette explained.

Her boss nodded. "Okay," he said. "Can you work on weekends?"

"I-I think," she said.

"You'll take the morning shift from 7 AM to 1 PM; you'll cover all your hours without a problem. Is that okay?"

"Uhm, uh… okay, perfect," she nodded.

"Good," he grinned. "Now who's the young man?" he turned smiling at Troy.

"Good bye, Jerry!" Gabriella rolled her eyes as she pointed towards the bar with her finger, insinuating him to leave.

"Jeez, okay, fine!" he rolled his eyes and walked away. "Teenagers," he mumbled.

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "This is getting creepy," he mentioned. Why was everyone thinking that there was something going on between them?

"What do you mean?" the brunette frowned.

The boy shook his head. "Nothing, nothing," he sighed. "So your work shifts are settled. What else?"

"Uhm. We're gonna work on our free period on Tuesday and Thursday and, I don't think you want to work on weekends, am I right?"

"You're right," he nodded.

"Okay," she sighed and started drawing a table on the notebook. She wrote the week days, and on Tuesday and Thursday she wrote 'Free Periods'. "Where are we going to work? Your house or mine?"

Troy opened his mouth to answer but then closed it as an image of a very hormonal and pregnant Annie asking all kinds of embarrassing questions and doing suggestive comments came to his mind. "Yours," he answered.

Okay that was a stupid question she shouldn't have asked. She couldn't bring Troy to her house! Greg was very overprotective with his daughter, not to mention annoying and that he would be spying on them every five seconds, plus… she couldn't allow Troy to find out about her schizophrenic father. No way.

"Uhm… okay," she bit her lower lip. "Are you sure we can't work at yours? I… uhm, I forgot that we can't work at mine because they are fixing… the… pipes of my bathroom and, you know, I don't think the noise will allow us to concentrate," she said.

"Then why do you ask?" Troy sighed and suppressed a groan from escaping his lips. He rubbed his face for a moment but then nodded. "If there's no other option… okay."

Gabriella smiled. "Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled. "From what time to what time are we going to do this shit?" he asked. Yes, he was now seeing it: Annie being all bubbly and jumpy over Gabriella and asking all kinds of stupid questions about if they like each other and stuff; oh the very hell was going to set loose very soon.

"Well, since I'm going to be working from 4 to 6, then I say… like… from 6 to 8… or maybe 9," Gabriella suggested. "Sounds okay?"

Troy nodded. "Yes."

"Uhm… what about homework?" the brunette asked.

Troy chuckled. "Cupcake, I don't do homework."

"Yeah, well I do," she said. "So I need a certain period of time to do my homework while you watch or something."

"Again, why did you sign up for this shit?" Troy sighed "You don't have time and you're going to have to work two extra days."

"_Again_," she mocked. "I need the extra credit."

The teen shook his head at her. "You just love the stress, don't you?"

She shrugged. "I do what it takes to keep my grades up; I need a scholarship for collage."

Troy sighed. "That's your problem," he cleared his throat. "We'll see about the homework thing when we start working; we'll find a moment. So, are we settled or do you have any other objection?" he asked sarcastically.

"Nope," she said, crossing her arms. "Do _you _have any other objection?"

"No," he answered.

"Good," she nodded.

"Good."

"Good."

Both of them just remained seated, staring down at the table with no idea what to say. So they just sat there… looking completely uncomfortable and weird. Gabriella wanted to say something, Troy wanted to stand up and get out of there, but neither of them moved or talked… until a voice broke the silence.

"Hey Gabby?" Mary called for her attention, approaching the table.

Gabriella blinked at her. "What?"

"Jared and I are heading out for an ice cream. Since there aren't too many costumers, Jerry told us to get out. You wanna come? Jared's already waiting outside," she smiled.

"Uh…" Gabriella hesitated, looking at Troy for a moment.

"Oh! You can bring your boyfriend if you want," Mary quickly added.

"I'm not her boyfriend/He's not my boyfriend," they both said at the same time.

"Oh," the blue eyed brunette articled and then cleared her throat. "I'm sorry; I just thought since… you know… uh… uhm, never mind. So are you coming?"

She glanced at Troy again by the corner of her eye. "Uhm, thanks, but I think not, I-."

"Go ahead, Cupcake," Troy cut her off. "I need to get home, anyways."

Gabriella frowned at the handsome teen. "Are you sure? I mean, I don't want you to think that I'm bailing out on you or anything…"

Troy rolled his eyes but then gave her a humored smile. "I'll live."

The 17 year old brunette couldn't help but smile back at him. "Well, uhm, okay. So, I'll see you tomorrow at school?" Troy gave her a nod, affirming that she would. "Cool."

Gabriella stood up from her place and gave Troy one last wave before turning around and walking out the door with Mary. Troy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It's the same old story: she would walk away and he would find himself thinking about her and telling himself that he was an idiot for letting things happen; that didn't change in those last four months.

_No_. He shook his head. No, he wouldn't waste his time going over the same shit he's already very aware of: his inutility when he's around her. So he stood up from his chair and swung his backpack over his shoulder. When he turned around to leave, he bumped into the small body of a brunette. He blinked shocked.

Gabriella blushed. "Sorry. J-Just came back to remind you that you need to pay for the coffee."

"What? Oh! Right, the coffee," he nodded. "Y-yes, I will."

"Okay," she said. "Just making sure." Troy didn't know what to answer, so he just nodded. "So, uhm… goodbye… again," she giggled nervously.

"Goodbye," he said back.

"Bye," she mumbled.

"Bye."

The brunette hesitated a little bit before standing on the tip of her toes and pressing a kiss to Troy's cheek, making him freeze right on his spot. She gave him a shy smile before turning around and exiting through the main door for a second time. Why was it that every time that their bodies got that close, she would get all nervous and shy? Ugh. She hated it!

Troy blinked. God dammit, she did it again! Kissing him and then just walking away, leaving him perplexed! It was just like that one time when he first drove her home; she just kissed him on the cheek and got out of the car leaving him like… like… a fish in a new tank! Not knowing what to do or think or where to go, so he just sat there looking completely stupid. And she did it again!

And he just compared himself to a fish. He sighed. These next few weeks are going to be painful for him.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Isn't Troy just cute being all confused and all? xD Like… he wants to give in but he's trying too hard not to, but still let himself get a little loose around Gabriella. Don't worry, he'll give in eventually. **

**And yes, you're probably wondering: WTF WITH THAT JACK SCENE! Well, it's also a part of my evil plans. **

**Anyway:**

**I know, I know, I know.**

**I know you hate me. BUT I HAVE A REALLY GOOD EXCUSE! (And no, I haven't forgotten about this story)**

**I actually got like 20! Or maybe 30.**

**First: My admission exam for collage. Studied hell hard every day in the afternoons without rest.**

**Second: After the exam, I just relaxed and decided not to do a damn thing. **

**Third: A week later after my admission exam, I had my monthly period of exams *sigh*. Studied all day and night.**

**Fourth: Started reading 'The Hunger Games' saga by Suzanne Collins. If you haven't read the books: OH MY GOSH, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED! I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THEM!... Even if Mockingjay (the last book) made me cry my eyes out and curse and almost want me to sue the author. xD HORRIBLE IDEA TO START READING THEM! I just couldn't stop! That's why I only read on Summer vacs, cuz I just can't stop and and and and… I started reading in class and… then I started crying in the middle of Physics and the teacher was all like "Aw, honey…. No man's worth crying!" (I KNOW: WTFFFFF!) and I was like ". . . THIS ONE DOES!" xD BAD IDEA TO READ DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR! BAD IDEA! xD **

**Fifth: More homework and Projects and shit from school. **

**Sixth: Last Sunday got my results of the Collage admission exam and… guess what? I DIDN'T get in FOR **_**ONE **_**GOD DAMMIT FUCKING FREAKING POINT! Which got me kind of depressed and traumatized and made me want to crawl under a rock and die xD But I'm okay now and I'm presenting the exam again. **

**Seventh: My dog got sick, had to get an operation and I was really worried, we thought she was going to die. But she's fine now :)**

**Eighth: TERRIBLE. HORRIBLE. WRITTER'S BLOCK! **

**And… okay, I got more, but I don't want to bore you.**

**Thank you all for still sticking to the story. And my special thanks to one of my favorite reviewers: **_**xmindset **_** lol. She wrote me a nice message to practically tell me to hurry up, which I loved xD. (Sorry I didn't answer; I just thought it wasn't necessary since I was going to update this chapter.)**

**Well, since now I'm on Easter Vacations (don't know if you guys call it that, and I don't really care xD), I still got one more week before I go back to class. So I'll make a huge effort to try and update the next chapter. I have a lot of school shit to do. Seriously, teachers just **_**love**_** to leave homework on vacations. *Sigh* Hate those bastards.**

**OH! ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING!**** During my small break after my big exam, I started reading this fanfic called: 'Gabriella' by BlueBliss0213. IT'S FREAKING AWESOME! She's a very good writer and I was awfully surprised to see that she doesn't get that many reviews. So I was wondering if you could check out her story: I promise she won't let you down. (It's on my favorite stories if you want to check it out :D) **

**Anyway! Enough of my yadda yadda xD. Please leave a review behind!**

**Sorry for Grammar and Spelling mistakes. **

**LOTS OF LOVE,**

**YOUR IRRISPONSIBLE WRITER, **

**Mary. **


	13. Troy Bolton, it's on

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter twelve_

**Please Read, Enjoy and REVIEW! **

**Recap: Uh… nothing much. Uh, Jared (Gabby's co-worker) likes her and apparently tends to 'worry about her' too much. He had a little encounter with Troy and Gabriella and Troy ended up making their schedule work. Jack's got himself a "date", which we won't see anything about on this chapter, and… I believe that's all. xD**

* * *

><p>Gabriella slammed her front door close and let out a frustrated growl. Troy was right; Jared was a douche bag! Who the hell did he think he was to pry into her business? He wasn't her father, he wasn't her brother, nor her boyfriend; hell, he wasn't even her friend! He was just her stupid co-worker who happened to get along with her other co-worker, Mary, who she did consider her, her friend.<p>

_When they were out of Troy's sight, Mary nudged Gabriella with her elbow as both of them walked towards Jared. The brown eyed brunette turned to her and felt her cheeks go red when she saw that her friend was giving her a teasing smirk._

"_Shut up," she mumbled to her, making Mary laugh. Jared eyed them curiously but he shrugged it off when Mary shook her head at him, telling him it was nothing. _

_The three co-workers sat at a booth in the ice-cream parlor that was a few blocks away from the coffee shop. Gabriella was eating a simple vanilla ice-cream cone while Jared and Mary had opted for something bigger; Jared got a banana split and Mary got a three ball platter. The young brunette shook her head at the both of them; there was no mystery why those two liked to hang out together so much, they both acted like little kids. _

"_Well, I'll be right back," Mary announced, burying her spoon into her ice-cream. "I need to go pee!" _

"_Ew, Mary!" Jared shook his head at her. "Just say that you need to go to the bathroom."_

_The blue eyed brunette scoffed. "You're such a girl." _

"_No, I'm just teaching you some manners, since apparently you have no idea what are those," Jared answered._

_Mary glared playfully at him as she stood up. She leaned down towards him. "Not only I'm going to pee, I'm also going to take a crap that'll look a lot like this ball of chocolate ice cream of yours," she smirked, pointing down to his plate and Jared grimaced._

"_You're a pig!" he exclaimed at her as she turned around and made her way to the bathroom, laughing. Gabriella giggled silently to herself. One of the many reasons why she loved that loon, she didn't give a shit of what people thought._

_There was a moment of silence. Gabriella usually would start a casual conversation with Jared, but after what happened at the coffee shop today, she wasn't feeling so comfortable around him. Jared cleared his throat._

_Gabriella looked up at him with questioning eyes. "So," Jared said. "I was surprised to see that Bolton brought you to work today. He hadn't had come around since… September or… October."_

_Gabriella fought the urge to roll her eyes; of course he would want to talk about that. She nodded her head._

"_Yeah, well he offered to give me a ride to work, so," she shrugged. _

"_Just like that?" Jared arched an eyebrow at her. Gabriella shrugged again, not really wanting to answer. She didn't have to explain herself to Jared, especially when he had acted like a jerk today at work. "I don't know Gabriella," Jared continued anyway. "It doesn't sound good to me. The boy hadn't talked to you before and suddenly he decides that he wants to give you a ride to work?"_

_The brunette frowned. "Who said he hadn't talked to me before?"_

_Jared stayed quiet for a second or two. "Well, I just –I mean, he –You, you're a pretty girl, so I think it's weird that if h-he likes you, he had n-never asked t-to give you a ride to work before," he stammered a little, looking down at his ice-cream. _

"_You know, Jared?" Gabriella crossed her arms. "You should stop assuming things."_

_Jared blinked. "I am not assuming things, I just thought-."_

"_No, yes you are!" Gabriella cut him off. "And besides, what happens between Troy and I, it's our business, so leave your nose out of it!"_

_Jared glared at her. "Well, I'm sorry, okay? I simply don't trust that kid, and I'm looking out for you!"_

"_No one asked you to!" Gabriella glared back at him._

"_No one has to!" Jared argued. "You're my friend and I worry about you! It worries me that you like that asshole and-."_

"_He is not an asshole!" Gabriella gritted her teeth. "You don't know him!"_

"_And you do?" he shot back._

_Gabriella stayed silent for a bit, glaring at Jared with furious eyes. "I know him enough."_

_Jared shook his head and let out a bitter chuckled. "Wow," he said. "Just… wow. Gabriella, would you listen to yourself? You're acting stupid!"_

"_Stupid how? Huh? And why? Only because it happens that I know him more than you? Yes, I may not know him like if he was my best friend, but I know Troy Bolton and he's not an asshole!" _

_Jared stared at her with disbelieving eyes. "I really thought you were better than this."_

_Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry if I disappoint you," she said sarcastically, standing up. "But I guess that proves that you don't know me."_

"_Gabby!" Mary exclaimed, walking back towards them. "You leaving?"_

_Gabriella turned her head to her and nodded. "Yes."_

"_Why?" she frowned. "We still have like 10 minutes before we have to go back?" _

"_Yeah, well it suddenly started smelling like shit and I can't stand the smell," Mary's frown grew deeper. "Tell Jerry that I felt sick and that I'll see him tomorrow, okay?" _

"_Okay, but-."_

_Gabriella didn't let Mary finish her sentence as she walked past her and stormed out of the place with ice-cream in hand. Nuh-uh, she wasn't gonna leave her ice cream behind. She paid for it! _

Friends! Ha! He didn't even know what her favorite color was! Was he like stupid or something? Did her mother drop him on the head when he was a baby? Whatever it was, he seemed to not get that Gabriella wasn't someone who shared her life unless it was someone she really trusted, like her dad or Chad.

The brunette sighed and took out her cell phone from her pocket and dialed a number.

"Hey Chad," she said once her friend picked up. "Wanna hang out?"

* * *

><p>"Troy Bolton, you're getting the carpet dirty, take off your shoes!" Annie yelled. Troy wasn't even done placing his butt on the couch when his very hormonal cook was already launching at his throat. "Nicole and Isabelle spent the whole day cleaning, for you to just come in and get it all dirty again!"<p>

Troy looked around the carpet and saw that it was just the same as when he walked in. He turned back to Annie and arched an eyebrow. "It looks just the same to me," he said and Annie glared at him.

"Take. Off. Your. Shoes," she growled.

Troy rolled his eyes and took off his shoes. "Happy?"

"Very," the cook nodded. She sighed and sat next to Troy. "How was your day? Why were you at the coffee shop? Are you hungry?"

The teen shook his head and chuckled. "My day was good, thanks," he said. "And it's kind of a long story, and… yes, in fact, I am hungry."

"Good," Annie smiled. "I prepared Mac n' Cheese today!"

"Oh great," he smiled.

"Okay, go wash your hands and I'll go serve you a plate," she said, standing up. Troy nodded.

After he washed his hands and entered the kitchen, Annie placed a plate of homemade Mac n' Cheese on the Kitchen Island and Troy sat down to eat. Annie poured him a glass of iced tea before pouring one for herself and joining him.

It's been months since he last ate alone in the dining room. He liked eating with Annie in the kitchen; he didn't feel as lonely as before. In some odd way, he was glad that Annie had heard the fight between his father and him; though he still thought that he didn't deserve Annie's care, he couldn't help but feel… sort of happy. He still couldn't let her all the way in, but he liked talking to her about senseless stuff.

It was hard, though. Sometimes he just wanted to tell her what he really felt about everything; about his father, his mom, and… Gabriella. Annie had no idea that he hadn't spoken a word to Gabriella for the last four months until this morning.

She asks about Gabriella almost every day and Troy would just shrug his shoulders and say that 'she's alright'. Apparently Annie wasn't succeeding at teasing him with Gabriella.

Troy sighed. He had to tell her that Gabriella would be coming over to work on some extracurricular crap. It would be worse if he just appeared with the brunette just like that. Annie would flip. Oh yes, he could hear her: You should've told me, I didn't cook enough food, I'm not dressed for this, etc, etc, etc.

"Annie," the teen began, moving the pasta around his plate, nervously. God he hated it.

The cook looked up at him and smiled. "Yes?"

"Uh," he cleared his throat. "So, tomorrow's Wednesday… and… well, I was wondering if you could make a little bit more food for dinner, since uh… Gabriella will be coming over," he mumbled the last part.

"Since what?" she frowned, not understanding what Troy had said.

"Gabriella will be coming over tomorrow," he said, a little bit louder and clearer. Annie's eyes widened. "And on Friday."

"Oh!" a grin formed on her lips. "You invited her for dinner?"

"Not exactly," he shook his head, a slight blush creeping up his neck and cheeks. "We're stuck in an extracurricular project and… we got partnered up."

"Well," the cook nodded excitedly. "I'll be glad to cook dinner for three people tomorrow!"

"Thanks," Troy said. "Oh and… uh, please don't smother her with annoying questions!"

Annie waved him off. "Oh please, I do not do that!" Troy gave her a look. Annie rolled her eyes. "Fine, I won't."

"You better not."

* * *

><p>The next morning Annie wasn't anywhere to be found, so Troy just thought that she was just dropping off her kids at school and that was just running late. So he prepared a bowl of cereal for breakfast and quickly engulfed it before Jack even got the chance to enter the kitchen. He grabbed his keys and his helmet and in less than 20 minutes he was parking outside the building of East High. He took off his helmet and shook his head like the day before. He climbed off his motorcycle and made his way into the school, this time fully ignoring the group of girls staring at him dreamily.<p>

As he opened his locker he felt a presence beside him. He sighed. "What?"

"Well, good morning to you too," Gabriella rolled her eyes.

Troy ignored the sarcasm in her voice as he took out his AP Algebra book out of his locker. "What do you want, Gabriella?"

"Just wanted to know if we're still on for today," she shrugged her shoulders.

Troy nodded his head. "Yes."

"Cool. So… I'll see you at your house at six or…?"

"I think it's best if I just pick you up," Troy said, placing his empty backpack in his locker before shutting it close. He looked at her with a bored expression. "I don't think you remember where I live. Or do you?"

"Uh, no, I think not," she said. "After all, Calah was the one who dragged me there."

"I remember," he rolled his eyes. "Is there anything else… or?"

"Yes, you have a milk mustache," she grinned and Troy's eyes widened, his hand quickly covering his mouth.

Gabriella giggled. "See you after school, Cinnamon Roll," she said before walking off. Troy cursed under his breath and scrubbed the now dried milk of his upper lip with his thumb and pointer finger. _Stupid cereal._

* * *

><p>After their small conversation in the morning, Gabriella didn't see Troy again during the whole day, not even at lunch; he had her wondering where he was hiding… if he was hiding, of course. But she didn't have time to look for him, since she was too busy doing the homework she didn't do the night before.<p>

When the bell rang, signaling that school was over, Gabriella made her way to the music room. She had remembered that the group was supposed to meet after school, fifteen minutes before her History class was over. So as she entered the classroom, she found out she was the last one to get there. How the hell was she last when she practically ran there? As she approached the group, she noticed that there was no Troy, either.

"Hey guys," she greeted them.

"Gabby!" Sharpay smiled and happily trotted over to her. Gabriella gave her a humored smile. "Great that you're here! Bolton isn't and I need one of you to listen to this!" the perky blonde ranted as she grabbed Gabriella's hand and pulled her over to the group.

"Kelsi and I were thinking about hiring a band!" she squealed.

"Uh…" Gabriella arched an eyebrow. "Isn't that what you´re supposed to do in every ball?"

"Kind of. But it's not just any band, silly!" she rolled her eyes. "You know my daddy owns a Recording Studio, right?"

"No, I didn't, but continue."

"Well, guess who we might be able to bring over?" the blonde asked.

"Uh…Linkin Park?" Gabriella guessed.

"No! One Direction!" she squealed.

The brunette's jaw dropped. "What!"

"I know!" Sharpay nodded. "We only need to collect 6 grand and they'll be here faster than you can say 'bazzinga'."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop! Stop right there!" Gabriella raised her hand to stop her. "What did you say?"

"That they'll be here faster than-."

"No! How much money did you say?"

"Oh! 6 grand!" she shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay, I wasn't aware of that part when I agreed to this," Kelsi commented. Sharpay glared at her.

"Yes, and how do you suggest we get the money from? A bake sale?" another girl in the group, known as Andy, said.

"Well… maybe not a bake sell, but maybe a car wash?" Sharpay suggested and everyone in the group groaned.

"Shar," Gabriella began. "Why don't we just make auditions?" the few people in the room agreed.

"Because!" she stomped her foot childishly. "It would be great to bring One Direction!"

"Yes, but 6 thousand dollars is too much money to be raised in less than four weeks, and the school funds won't lend us that amount of money," Gabriella said.

"And we still have the ball theme, the decorations and food to think about," Jacob, the only guy in the room, added.

"Shut up, Johnson! You're not helping me!" Sharpay exclaimed.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "I wasn't meaning to."

"And Jacob's right, Sharpay," Kelsi said. "The idea is terrific! But the music isn't the only thing that we need to think about."

"Besides," Andy continued. "Gabriella's in charge here, and if she doesn't agree, then it can't be made," the group agreed.

Sharpay huffed frustrated and crossed her arms childishly. "Yeah well, Bolton's in charge too and he isn't here to decide!"

"Yeah, where's the lunatic, anyway?" Jacob asked Gabriella.

"He is not a lunatic," Gabriella defended him. "And I don't know, I guess he forgot."

"Oh well, that's awesome," Andy said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Gabriella sighed. "Look," she began. "I'll meet Troy later today to go over everything. I'll consult him about the band thing and we'll look over the ideas that you give me, okay?"

"Okay, fine," the all mumbled.

"Good. Now, besides the band, what else you got?" Gabriella asked Kelsi and Sharpay.

"Well, I made a playlist last night," Kelsi began.

* * *

><p>It was almost 6 o' clock in the afternoon when Troy pulled over in front of the coffee shop and turned off his motorcycle. He sighed before taking his helmet off; this was going to be torture. How the hell was he going to survive 3 whole hours with Gabriella without letting her penetrate his walls? He knew he would need to try harder than usual, especially since he wasn't going to be able to just walk away.<p>

_Mom, please… just give strength_. He silently prayed. He would never admit it, but… he was panicking. That's why that right before lunch, he went to the Nurse's office and asked for a Home Pass, claiming that he was sick. Normally he would just had left, but, since Ms. Darbus told him that he might repeat his junior year because of his absences, he decided for the safe option. It took a while to convince the nurse, but at the end she obliged and gave him the pass. Troy went to visit his mom at the graveyard and stayed there for the rest of the day, talking about his fear and how annoyed he was with the whole situation, and like always, he got no response from the stone.

Troy got off the motorcycle and made his way to the glass door. He pushed it open and looked around the place, searching for Gabriella. He spotted her right behind the bar, talking a lady's order. He walked up to her.

"Ready to go, Cupcake?" he asked her. Gabriella jumped slightly, not having noticed Troy at all. Troy rolled his eyes.

"Oh! Hi! Uhm sure, just uh… what time is it?" she asked and turned to look at the clock on the wall behind her. "Six, okay… let me just… uh…" she looked around. "Jared!"

The boy that was attending the tables turned to look at her. "What?"

"I'm leaving, take over the bar," she said, taking her apron off.

"But your shift doesn't end until-."

"Yeah, not this week, so shut up and take over," the brunette bit at him and Troy raised his eyebrows at the tone of her voice.

"But-."

Gabriella glared at him. "You really want to discuss with me?" she asked, leaning down and taking her backpack. Jared looked at her for a moment before shifting his eyes to Troy and then back to Gabriella. He bit his upper lip before letting out a puff of air.

He shook his head. "No."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," she nodded and walked around the bar and up to Troy.

"Okay, now I'm ready," she told him.

Troy arched an eyebrow at her before nodding. "Then let's go," he handed her his helmet and Gabriella took it.

She groaned. "You brought the motorcycle again?"

"Why, you don't like it?" he asked, rolling his eyes and walking to the door.

"Yes, in fact, I don't," Gabriella said, following right behind.

"Not my problem," he said, pulling the crystal door open and making a mocking gesture with his hand. "After you."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and walked out. Troy smirked and shook his head as he followed her, his eyes glued to her swaying hips.

Jared stared at them with disbelieving eyes. He shook his head. If she turns out hurt, don't say he didn't warn her.

Troy mounted on his motorbike and Gabriella grabbed onto his shoulders before mounting on it, too. Troy took out his aviator shades and put them over his eyes, and this time he didn't tense when Gabriella's arms wound around his waist, since he was expecting it. Troy kicked the pedal down to turn on his motorbike and pulled out of the driveway.

"You have the helmet on?" Troy asked over the loud engine.

"Yes," Gabriella replied. "And, could you go slower this time?"

"No," and with that he sped off, making Gabriella squeal again and tighten her grip around Troy's waist. She buried her face on his shoulder and whined. Troy chuckled and shook his head. Maybe picking her up from work on these few weeks wouldn't be so bad after all, well, as long as he gets to tease her.

After a few turns, honks and dodges, Troy finally pulled over in front of his house and killed the engine. He turned to look at Gabriella and shook his shoulder.

"You're such a scaredy cat, aren't you?" he told her, letting go of the handlebars.

Gabriella looked up and narrowed her eyes when he saw the smirk on his face. "Shut up, you drive too fast!" Troy shrugged. "You're going to get yourself killed some day."

"Nah, nothing will happen, so you don't need to worry," he said. "Now, let go of me."

Gabriella pulled her arms back and got off the motorbike before placing her hands on her waist and shaking her head at him. "That's what they all say, and soon enough they're in a hospital bed paralyzed waist-down."

Troy laughed. For the first time he let out a full hearted laugh. That was one of the most acid but funniest comments he's ever heard someone say. "Really?"

"Yes!" she nodded her head, frowning, secretly loving that she made him laugh. "I don't know why you're laughing. I'm talking serious stuff here."

"Well, for instance, it's hard to take you seriously with the helmet on; it makes you look funny," he said and Gabriella glared at him before taking the helmet off. "And, I'm used to driving fast, even in my car, and so far nothing's happened to me."

"Okay, but as long as you're taking me, you're going to drive slower," she said, holding the helmet between her hip and her arm.

"Now why would I do that?" Troy arched an eyebrow at her, an amused smile playing on his lips.

"Because, Cinnamon Roll, you have another life in your hands besides your own," she said. "If you want to drive like a crazy-maniac when you're alone, then fine, it's your life, but why would you put another person's life in danger?" she asked.

Troy stayed silent for a moment, staring up at her with a surprised expression on his handsome features. He thought about it and blinked a couple of times before nodding once at her. "Fair enough, you're right."

"Thank you. So you will drive slower next time?" she asked.

Troy got off the motorbike and stood in front of her. He looked down at her and nodded his head. "No," the brunette frowned at him and Troy rolled his eyes. "Yes, I will, Montez. Calm down, will ya?"

Gabriella glared at him. "Oh, screw you."

He shook his head at her. "Come on, let's head inside."

Gabriella nodded. "Fine."

Troy turned away and made his way to the front door. Gabriella started following him but then stopped on her tracks when she finally noticed the façade of his house. _Holy Shit!_ The last time she was there, she was too busy fighting, flirting and discussing with Troy that she never noticed the house.

The thing was huge! Three stories at least. Not to mention beautiful. It was white, with large windows at the front, a brown French door that was flanked by two big pillars on the porch, and pots with flowers were neatly placed on the white railing. Gabriella was perplexed; she wished her house looked as good as that.

Troy turned to look at the brunette when he noticed that she wasn't following. He arched an eyebrow at the amazed expression on her face and shook his head with a small chuckle. She was so cute.

"You coming, or not?" he yelled at her and Gabriella instantly snapped out of her trance and stared at Troy.

"What?" she blinked. "Oh! Yes, yes, uhm… yes," she nodded her head and blushed. She walked up to him and trotted up the front porch's steps. Troy rolled his eyes and, like always, he let her walk in first. Gabriella looked around and her amazed expression came back to her face. If the exterior was pretty, the inside was prettier. Then, she noticed the smell of something being cooked, and she felt her stomach growl.

"Okay, snap out of it, Cupcake," Troy snapped his fingers in front of her face and Gabriella blinked.

"Huh?" she asked and Troy rolled his eyes again.

"Snap out of it," he repeated and Gabriella blushed.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized. "Your house is really pretty."

Troy sighed. "Yeah, okay," he told her. "Just uh… leave the helmet on the table and come."

"Okay," Gabriella responded and did as told before following Troy to the living room.

Gabriella's eyes widened at the size of the room. It had a chimney on one corner, it had a 25 inch wide flat screen hanging on the wall across from them, and the brown leather seats made perfect contrast with the cream-colored carped. The living room was separated from the dining room only by a white concrete arch and at the other side of it there was a door, which lead to the kitchen, and a bar that had one of those sliding wooden doors, or curtain, or whatever it's called. She quickly got back to reality, before Troy noticed that she got stupefied by his house once again.

Gabriella then noticed that in the dining room there were two women setting up the table, placing white plates –_Porcelain?_ Gabriella wondered. –, crystal glasses and the silverware. One of them looked up and her eyes posed on Troy and then on Gabriella; she whispered to the other woman and she also looked up.

"Good evening, Mr. Bolton," they chorused at the same time. Troy rolled his eyes and Gabriella raised her eyebrows.

"Girls, stop calling me that, I'm not my dad."

"Sorry Mr. Bolton," Nicole started. "It's just the custom."

"Right," Troy sighed and then cleared his throat when he noticed that they were staring behind him to Gabriella. "Uh, yeah," he scratched the back of his neck as he walked back to Gabriella and stood next to her. "Uhm, Gabriella, these are Nicole and Isabelle; Nicole, Isabelle, this is Gabriella Montez."

"Hi," Gabriella waved, feeling a little awkward.

The maids nodded once. "Good evening, Ms. Montez," they chorused together, making Gabriella giggle. Troy groaned.

"Oh God," he mumbled to himself. Were they for real? They looked like robots! Did Annie tell them to act like that? Because, they, for sure, aren't like that. He looked back up to them. "Where's Annie?"

"I believe that in the kitchen, like always," Isabelle commented.

"Of course," he nodded. "Uh," he turned to look at Gabriella. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

Gabriella smiled and nodded at him. "Okay, sure."

"You two," he whispered to the maids when he passed by them. "In the kitchen too, now," he ordered them and they quickly looked at each other before following her boss to the kitchen.

Gabriella blinked for a couple of seconds before shaking her head. That was… interesting.

Annie was humming along with a song playing on the radio and moving the onion soup around in a pot when she was suddenly startled by Troy.

"You told them to act like that?" he asked, turning off the radio and making Annie jump.

She rolled her eyes after composing herself. "Hi, Troy. How are you? Nice to know that you're home."

"Did she tell you to act like robots?" he asked the maids and they just stood there.

"Uh…" they hesitated.

Annie rolled her eyes again. "No, Troy, I didn't."

"So what was that?" Troy asked.

"I-I, uhm," Nicole stuttered. "Well Annie told us that you were having a friend over and w-we just thought that we should act… well, respectful."

Troy rubbed his face. "You two looked ridiculous."

"But we practiced all day!" Isabelle exclaimed and Annie snorted.

"Yes," Troy nodded. "I noticed."

"We're sorry, Mr. Bolton, we were just trying to help," Nicole apologized.

Annie shook her head and turned to them. "Don't worry guys; he's just a little on the edge today, because he wants to impress the girl."

"Oh," the both nodded.

"What!" Troy exclaimed. "I am not trying to impress Gabriella!"

"Sure, you aren't," Annie rolled her eyes. "Then why are you making a big deal out of Nicole's and Isabelle's robot behavior?"

Troy narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm not."

"Uh-huh," Annie nodded sarcastically.

Gabriella looked around the living room. There were a couple of paintings on the wall from an artist she didn't recognize. There was a book shelf next to the big couch and a lamp next to the individual sofa. And above the chimney there were a few portraits.

Being her nosey self, she grinned slightly to herself as she walked up to the chimney.

Her grin turned into a soft smile when she saw a picture of a baby boy sitting in front of a chocolate cake that had a little blue candle in the middle. He was wearing one of those party hats with Donald on it. She giggled. Troy was so cute.

The next picture you could see a boy around 3 years old, with wild blonde curls, and a woman with red hair holding him and kissing him on the cheek as he sat on her lap. Troy showed his little dimples as he smiled really big, like if he was giggling. _That must be his mom_. Gabriella thought.

She passed on to the next picture and saw that it was a picture with both of his parents and him. They looked happy. Smiley. Troy looked like he had like 7 years old in that picture. _It must've been hard for them when Troy's mom died_. The brunette thought. She took the picture to examine it closer. His mom was a very beautiful woman. And for the looks of it, she loved her son very much. Gabriella couldn't help but compare the Troy from the picture and the Troy from now. The Troy from the picture looked like a normal kid, like it was not impossible for him to be Chad's best friend when they were younger. The Troy from now was always…

How could she describe him?

He wasn't sad, he was like angry… or annoyed… maybe even… resentful. And that made her wonder. It made her want to get to know more about Troy, and it made her want to know about Troy's mom, about her death. Was Troy resentful with his mom for leaving him?

She remembered the conversation she had with Chad four months ago when she came back from walking Calah (or more like being dragged around).

_"Troy… he's uh…a person who's been through so much, Gabriella. Ever since his mother died, he… was never the same again. I mean, Lucille was… Troy's whole world! Of course! She was his mom! And when she left, when the only person that really paid any real attention to him left… he… just felt lonely. And let's just say that his father has never been… someone Troy could actually rely on," he shook his head, the frown in his face deepening with anger. "I mean, sure, he's his father, he loves him. They used to play basketball together and all that, but… Jack's just a busy person. He never stuck around to help him when Troy needed him the most," he paused. "After a while, he just… stopped talking to everyone, including me."_

Or maybe he's resentful with his dad.

"What are you doing?" Troy's angry voice brought her back from her thoughts and she looked up to her left.

"Nothing," Gabriella quickly answered. "Just uh… sorry, I got a little curious."

"Put it back," he ordered. "You have no right to touch my stuff."

"Sorry," the brunette blinked. Damn, it seemed like she hit a rough spot again. She placed the portrait back to its place and turned her body towards Troy. _Keep calm, Gabriella_. She told herself.

"Is that your mom?" she asked casually, pointing up to the portrait.

"What does it matter to you?" he spat at her.

"She's pretty," Gabriella bit the inside of her cheek. "I wished I had pictures of my mom," she said softly, staring down at her shoes. Troy kept on glaring at her, but a small part of him softened as he heard that, making him wonder why she didn't have pictures of her mom.

The brunette looked back up and gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry to pry. I didn't mean to make you mad."

"Just…" he took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Just don't do it again," Gabriella nodded. "Come on, dinner's ready."

The teenage boy turned to leave until Gabriella's voice stopped him. "Uhm, Troy?"

"What?"

"Where's the bathroom?" she asked. Troy let out a puff of air before looking up at the ceiling.

"This way," he told her and then walked out of the living room and into the hallway. Gabriella followed him and then they stopped in front of a white door. "Here."

"Thank you," she said. As the brunette stepped into the bathroom, Troy rubbed his face frustrated. He looked up at the ceiling and glared at it. _You call that helping me?_ Troy asked to his mother. He groaned softly and then turned around, heading to the dining room.

"Where's Gabriella?" Annie asked, pouring the soup into the three bowls on the table.

"In the bathroom," the teen answered, sitting down on the table and massaging his right temple.

Annie smirked. "Headache?"

"Something like that," he mumbled. Who the hell did she think she was to pry into-. Wait, he's already asked that question too many times before. Apparently she loves to just nose into his business. He sighed. What was he going to do with this girl? If this continues at this rate, he's afraid that he'll end up spilling everything out.

A few moments later Gabriella entered the dining room and stood there awkwardly as Troy and Annie looked up at her. The cook grinned really big and left the pot on the table before walking around it and embracing Gabriella in a tight hug. Troy frowned, but he quickly shook it off, deciding that it was just the hormones. Gabriella blinked a little shocked.

"Gabriella, it's so good to finally meet you formally!" Annie told her as she pulled back.

"Uh, thank you, you too," Gabriella smiled at her.

"You do remember me, right?" Annie arched an eyebrow at her and Gabriella quickly nodded.

"Of course," How could she forget?

The cook smiled. "Good, I was afraid that I would have to bring the whole 'You and Troy almost kissing in the driveway' thing up," she said, trying to sound innocent. Gabriella blushed and Troy's eyes almost popped out of his sockets.

"Annette!" he growled.

"What?" she turned and looked at him 'confused'. "I didn't do anything! And do not speak to me in that tone of voice, young man!"

Troy only glared at her, restraining himself from insulting her in front of Gabriella. Annie turned back to Gabriella and smiled.

"Well, come! Sit down!" she said, motioning to the table. "I'll bring the napkins!" then she walked back into the kitchen, leaving a very perplexed Gabriella behind.

The brunette walked up to the table and sat down next to Troy.

"Sorry," Troy told her.

"No problem," Gabriella smiled shyly at him. "It's alright."

"Her pregnancy hormones must be affecting her brain or something," he sighed.

"I heard that!" they both heard Annie yell from the kitchen, making Gabriella giggle. Troy rolled his eyes.

"Good!" he yelled back.

Gabriella shook her head at him and smiled. "So, she's pregnant?"

"Five months," Troy told her. "She's driving me crazy. Two days ago she hit me on the head with a spatula," Gabriella laughed.

"In my defense, he was being his cocky self and I was just not in the mood," Annie said, entering the kitchen with a handful of napkins. She sat down on the table and placed the napkins in the middle.

Gabriella nodded and then smirked at Troy. "She's got a point."

Troy only rolled his eyes as he grabbed his spoon and began eating his onion soup.

* * *

><p>After dinner, Troy and Gabriella headed off to the living room to start working on the ideas that Gabriella got from 'The Spring Ball Team' as she liked to call it. They had gone over the two ideas that Gabriella got from Andy and Jacob for the ball theme and decorations and Troy hated them both.<p>

"They are lame," Troy kept on saying.

"Well I think both are good ideas," she argued back.

"Cupcake, in one you have to go dressed as a fucking mermaid and in the other one as a luau queen," he rolled his eyes.

"Only because it's an undersea theme and a Hawaiian theme, doesn't mean it's a costume party!" she said.

"Still, they're lame and cliché," Troy said. "What, they took the idea out from a chick flick or something?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Gabriella exclaimed and then sighed. "But, in that case, I don't think you'll want to go over the food, since the guys coordinated, and it's only a Hawaiian menu and the other it's shrimp and stuff."

"Nope, I actually don't."

Gabriella took out the USB where Kelsi saved the playlist and then took out Sharpay's contract of One Direction. She handed the papers over to Troy and he frowned.

"And this is?" he asked.

"Sharpay wants to hire a band and those are the requirements," Gabriella explained.

"One Direction?" Troy asked and the brunette nodded. He continued reading and then his eyes widened. "Six thousand dollars? Is Sharpay out of her mind or something?" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's what we all told her, but she insisted on me consulting it with you," she said. "Apparently she believes that you may back her up with this."

Troy scoffed. "Well, I was wrong: I thought Blondie was a little bit smarter than that! But no. The school funds only cover for like a third of what she's asking."

"Again, we all told her that!" Gabriella said.

"And seriously? 6 thousand dollars for a stupid band of gay-Backstreet Boys-wanna-be's?" Troy exclaimed.

"I know," Gabriella sighed.

"I mean, the band's not even worth it. They're not even a band!" Troy continued to rant.

"Well, to you, what kind of band would be worth 6 thousand dollars?" Gabriella asked him, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Any band would be better," Troy rolled his eyes.

"The Jonas Brothers?" Gabriella smirked.

Troy grimaced and Gabriella laughed. "You better be joking."

"Well, I like The Jonas Brothers," the brunette shrugged. "Of course I'm not a big fan, and I only like 3 songs of them, but…"

"I have to give you some lessons about real music," Troy shook his head at her. "Do you know Beethoven?" he asked and Gabriella laughed again. "We could start from there."

"Yes, I know Beethoven, Troy," the brunette shook her head at him. "And only because I like some songs of The Jonas Brothers, doesn't mean I have a bad taste!" she told him. "In music, I mean."

"Cupcake, please," Troy rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious!" she exclaimed. "I don't have a bad taste in music! Weird? Maybe. But not bad!"

"Weird how?" the blue eyed teen arched an eyebrow at her. "You listen to Barney songs too?"

Gabriella giggled. "No! But I listen to pop, country, rock, pop in Spanish…" she grinned at him.

"You speak Spanish?"

"Si," she nodded. "My dad's from Mexico. But we try to speak English most of the time so we don't lose practice."

"I see," Troy said. "But just so you know, that 'Si' doesn't prove much," he teased her with a mocking smirk.

Gabriella glared at him. "_¿Pues qué quieres que haga, eh? ¿Te recito un poema de Mario Benedetti o simplemente te digo un par de groserías?" _(Then what do you want me to do, huh? Recite you a poem of Mario Benedetti or simply call you a couple of names?)

Troy arched his eyebrows at her and then nodded. "Alright, I'll shut up."

The brunette grinned at him with satisfaction. "Thank you."

He rolled his eyes. "Something you should do once in a while," he told her and Gabriella gaped at him. She grabbed one of the cream-colored cushions that were on the couch and hit him with it.

Troy blocked himself with his arm and stared at her with a frown. "Hey!" she hit him again. "Stop it!"

"Nope, you deserve it," she said and hit him again. Troy took the pillow and pulled on it, trying to take it away from her. Gabriella, being Gabriella, didn't let go of it and ended up being pulled along with the cushion.

The brunette ended up being half on top of Troy. Troy rested his right elbow on the arm of the couch, still holding the cushion, while his other hand rested on Gabriella's hip, keeping her from crashing down on him. Gabriella's left hand held the cushion and her right hand was holding onto Troy's shoulder. Their faces were inches apart, only a little push and their lips would be touching. Gabriella blushed profusely, her cheeks and neck burning with the color red. For some reason, she pictured that moment with some romantic music in the background; something like one of those soap-operas she used to watch when she was bored. She mentally smacked herself. _Really, Gabriella? Really, now?_

_You seriously think this is helping me, mother?_ Troy thought bitterly as he looked up into Gabriella's brown orbs, finding it impossible to look away. That feeling of wanting to have her near overcame his body, fighting with the other feeling of pushing her off and run out of there. Why do they always end up in awkward situations? This was not what he thought of when he said that he would try his best to be distant with her.

"Uhm, hello," Gabriella laughed nervously.

"Hi," Troy answered, trying to sound dry.

"I-I'm sorry, I always end up… well…," she cleared her throat. "Doing this."

"I've noticed," he responded.

Gabriella bit the inside of her cheek, not being able to help but look into his blue eyes. It was like getting lost at sea. "I uh… I should probably just get off."

"Yes, you should," Troy nodded.

"Or maybe you two should just kiss to break the tension," Annie's voice was what made them pull apart quickly. If Gabriella wasn't blushing hard enough, she definitely was now as she noticed, not only Annie standing by the arch that divided the living room from the dining room, but Nicole and Isabelle as well. They were whispering between each other as Annie continued to smirk at the two teens. Troy cursed under his breath as he also blushed; oh, he was going to hear about this for the rest of his days.

"Do you need something?" Troy questioned them, an annoyed and embarrassed expression on his face.

"Yes," Annie nodded. "Or no?" she turned to the maids who shrugged at her. "I guess I just forgot," the honey colored eyed woman shrugged and smirked at Troy.

"Then leave!" he ordered them. The maids quickly left and Annie rolled her eyes before walking after them, rubbing her small five month baby bump. That kid can't take a joke.

Troy sighed and turned to look at Gabriella, who was still blushing very hard and looking at the carpet, scratching the back of her hand, nervously. When she felt his stare on her, she looked up at him and their eyes locked.

"I-I'm really sorry," Gabriella told him.

"Yeah, don't worry," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let's just uh, continue with this… thing."

"Okay," the brunette nodded.

* * *

><p>An hour later, Gabriella looked at the time on her phone and sighed. "I better get home," she said.<p>

Troy looked up at her and then looked at the time on his iPhone. 9:15PM. He nodded his head and stood up. "Okay, let's go."

She frowned up at him. "What?"

"Let's go!" he repeated.

"No, Troy, you don't need to take me home," the brunette shook her head at him as she stood up. "I can walk."

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "Walk? You're going to walk?"

She shrugged. "Yes, why not?"

"Gabriella, it's dark outside and it's dangerous, you can get mugged," Troy shook his head at her with a frown.

"I will not get mugged," she rolled her eyes. "It's not the first time that I walk home alone in the night."

"Yeah, okay, I don't care, I'm taking you home," Troy told her.

"Troy, I don't want to bother you," she insisted.

He huffed and rolled his eyes. "Gabriella, just… shut up," he told her. "Pick up your stuff and don't argue with me, okay? I am taking you home and that's final."

"Fine," she rolled her eyes. "But you better not complain about it later."

"Why would I complain?" he mumbled sarcastically to himself and Gabriella glared at him. She grabbed the cushion from before and hit him with it.

Troy narrowed his eyes at her. "Really? Want to start that again?" he asked, pulling the cushion out of her grip successfully this time, and tossing it over the couch.

"You are a big jerk," she accused him as she bent down and started putting her stuff inside her backpack.

He scoffed. "And you are just delightful."

"Compared to you, I'm more than delightful!" she exclaimed, zipping up her backpack. She didn't have much out, just a folder and a couple of papers that needed to be accommodated. She stood up and threw her backpack over her shoulder.

"Sure, Cupcake, whatever helps you sleep at night," he rolled his eyes and walked over to the dining room. Gabriella shook her head at him. "Annie! I'm dropping Gabriella off at her house."

The cook popped her head out of the kitchen door and smiled. Gabriella walked up to Troy and stood next to him.

"Alright, uhm, I'll be leaving soon too, I need to go tuck my kids into bed," Annie said, stepping out of the door completely. "So if I don't see you when you get back, well… then I'll see you tomorrow," she shrugged.

"No shit," Troy rolled his eyes and Annie gave him an annoyed look.

"Just go," she said, placing her hands on her hips. She looked over to Gabriella and smiled. She walked over to her and embraced her. "It was nice of you to come by, Gabriella. I'll see you Friday."

"Uhm, sure, and thanks for having me," she smiled shyly up at Annie once they pulled back.

"Psht!" she waved her off. "It's Troy's house, I'm just the cook," she grinned at her. "If it were my house, I'd tell you to come over more often."

Gabriella giggled. "Well, thank you."

"Drive safe," Annie said, raising her pointer finger at Troy.

"Always do," he rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

"Bye Annie," Gabriella said one last time before following Troy.

Troy took his car keys this time and when Gabriella was about to grab the helmet he stopped her.

"Leave it, we're taking the car," he told her and Gabriella nodded.

"Okay."

It was a silent ride to Gabriella's house. It kind of reminded them both when Troy first took her home; though the atmosphere wasn't as awkward since they spent three hours together. Troy remembered perfectly where she lived, so he didn't require any instructions from the brunette whatsoever. Troy turned off the car when he parked in front of her house. Gabriella looked at it for a moment; it looked really tiny to her now. Well, compared to Troy's house, any house in her neighborhood was tiny.

She turned to look at Troy and gave him a slight smile. "Thanks for the ride, Troy. You really didn't need to do it."

"Yeah, well I did; so…"

"Okay," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

The brunette took her seatbelt off and opened her door, but before getting out she frowned and turned back to look at him. "Can I ask you a question, before I forget?"

Troy sighed. "If I say no…?"

"I won't get out of the car, and you know it," she grinned.

He rolled his eyes. "Go on, ask."

"Where, the hell, were you after school?" she questioned him. "I was going to ask you sooner, but then the cushion thing happened," she said, kind of blushing.

"None of your business, Cupcake," he told her. "Is that it?"

She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment. "You know, Troy? One day I'll be able to get out of you more than just a 'None of your business, Cupcake'," she told him, mocking him with a 'manly' voice.

Troy scoffed. "We'll see about that."

"Is that a dare?" she smirked.

"Not exactly," Troy told her. "Because there's no way in hell that you'll be getting anything out of me."

Gabriella studied his face for a couple of seconds before grinning. "We'll see about that," she repeated his phrase mockingly before grabbing her backpack and getting out of the car.

Troy shook his head as Gabriella slammed the door close. He leaned over his seat and rolled down the window of the passenger's seat. He won't let her win this battle.

"Forget about it, Cupcake!" he yelled after her. He watched the brunette turn around and she arched her eyebrows at him.

"Why? Are you scared that I'll win?" she yelled back at him.

He scoffed. "Scared? No, baby. You're just wasting your time!"

"Then what do you have to lose?" she smirked while shrugging her shoulders. Troy looked at her. But, like, really looked at her. She looked so sure that she could win, that she could be able to break down his walls. The little he knew her, he knew that she was stubborn and that wouldn't give up just like that.

He shook his head at her. "Fine, suit yourself. It's your time after all," with that, the teen rolled the window back up and started the car. Gabriella rolled her eyes still smiling and turned back around, heading for her house.

_Troy Bolton, it's on. _

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**He guys! Missed me? Well, guess what? No, I'm not in my summer vacs yet. I still need to do a couple of finals and I'm presenting my college admission test again. Ha! NO I'M NOT GIVING UP! I'M GETTING INTO THAT SCHOOL EVEN IF MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!**

**So yes, I've been a little bit busy with school and graduation and stuff, but… YAY! I was finally able to finish this chapter! *grins* **

**Oh and…**

**I DON'T WANT TO FINISH HIGH SCHOOL! NOO! I'M TOO YOUNG TO GO TO COLLEGE! (I'm 18, but still!) I watched HSM 3 like 200 times on the last two weeks and I haven't be able to stop crying xD But anyhow! **

**After July 3th, I'll be officially able to do whatever the hell I want! (Since that's the day of my exam. I hope to pass it this time! :S) **

**And I'm also starting to write my book. I know! FINALLY! I'm gonna be writing on vacations, so I really hope you don't mind the lack of updates during summer, but I'll try to finish this story before I start school again. (Again, if I pass my exam this time xD)**

**Anyway, I believe this is the longest chapter I've written so far! Lol. And I really don't like it much, but I believe it's a little too late to re-write everything. At least I hope you do.**

**Please leave a review behind.**

**Lots of love, **

**Mary.**

**P.S: Sorry for Grammar and Spelling Mistakes. Today I'm really lazy too check, maybe I'll check later xD. **


	14. Who are you?

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Thirteen_

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**!**

**Uhm, remember that Chad's mom is a Doctor, it's on chapter Six 'Forbidden Fruit'.**

* * *

><p>"Dad! Come on, calm down!" Gabriella yelled at her father, scared out of her mind as he saw him shaking from head to toes.<p>

"Get them out!" he screamed, holding onto his hair as he kneeled down on the floor. "Gabriella, get them out!"

It was getting worse. These past few weeks, it had gotten worse. Gregory Montez continued to not get one single job interview and the stress was bringing out the worst in him; his savings were running out and he just couldn't deal with the pain of watching his daughter wake up every day at 5 AM in the morning so she could go to work at the Flower Shop and then hear her come late at night because she had to work another 5 hours after school. No, he couldn't deal with that anymore, he couldn't deal with the fact that it seemed that Gabriella was the mother and he was the son. He needed a job now.

"Dad, please!" Gabriella screamed, feeling desperate and impotent. She didn't know what to do! She hadn't dealt with one of these attacks before. They only thing she had dealt with before and she had medicine for it, were her dad's catatonic stupor episodes. Should she call an ambulance? They didn't have a medical insurance, so how the hell was she going to pay for the hospital? "Dad!"

"Get them out!" he continued to scream. The annoying voices continuing to yell at him. "Gabby!"

The brunette started panicking. What could she do? What could she do? If only she knew a doctor! Her eyes widened when she remembered that she did. She did! She just hoped that she was home.

"Daddy, w-wait here, alright? I'm gonna go get some help!" she told him. Greg nodded at her, still trying to shut the voices out of his head. Why now? It had never happened to him before. He had never heard voices in his head. Why now? He screamed one more time, trying to silence them, as Gabriella quickly rushed out of her house and ran to Chad's house. She ran up the porch steps and rang the doorbell desperately. Seconds later, the door opened.

Chad looked down surprised when he saw Gabriella, but his expression quickly turned into a worried one when he noticed that she was in the middle of a panic attack. "Gabby? What's wrong?"

"Is your mom home?" she asked, desperation evident in her voice.

"Yes, why? What happened?" Chad asked.

"It's my dad!" she cried, shaking in nerves.

* * *

><p>It was Monday morning and Troy was just stepping out the door, with his backpack over his shoulder and helmet tucked under his arm, when he heard a whistle. He frowned and turned back around to watch his father walk down the stairs whistling a happy song. <em>What the hell?<em> He thought.

"Morning, Troy," he grinned at his son and Troy blinked at him shocked. "You already had breakfast?"

"Uh," Troy frowned. "Yes."

"Oh too bad," he smiled at him. "Then maybe I'll catch up with you for dinner, I'll try to get out of work early."

And just as happy as he walked in, he walked off. Troy stared after him with absolutely no idea of what to think, or feel for that matter. Who the hell was he and what did he do with Jack? He continued to stare at the back of his father's head, waiting for him to turn around and yell some bullshit at him and then regret and say sorry; but that never happened. The blue eyed teen shook his head and closed the door behind him. Seriously, what was wrong with him?

"Did you check the playlist?" Kelsi asked perkily at Gabriella, who was slowly taking her books out of her locker.

The brunette nodded her head tiredly. "Yes, I looked it over on Friday with Troy," she answered before letting out a yawn. "It was great."

Kelsi frowned. "Are you alright, Gabriella?"

"Yes, yes," she nodded. "Just uh, a rough night, that's all," she fake smiled at her. "I didn't get much sleep."

"Oh, why's that?" the short girl continued to ask.

Gabriella shrugged. "Just, insomnia," she lied.

"Oh, I get that a lot, too," she grinned. "Sometimes when I can't sleep, I drink warm milk with a little bit of honey. That usually knocks me right out."

"Thanks Kels, I will remember next time," the brunette small smiled at her.

"Okay, well, before I forget, I wanted to give you another playlist," she said, handing her another USB. Gabriella nodded. "So, you guys tell me what you think about it on Wednesday, okay?"

"Will do."

"Great! See you later, Gabs," Kelsi waved before walking away. Gabriella sighed as she closed her locker. She leaned her head over it and groaned. She was feeling like a total shit. The worst of all was that her secret wasn't exactly a secret anymore. She didn't want anyone to know, and now her neighbors knew. Chad knew.

Well, what else could she do? Her dad was in the middle of a crisis and he needed help. The last time she told someone about her dad's sickness, by the next day everyone in school knew and she was the center of their mockery for weeks. It didn't end up good and that was why she transferred to East High at the beginning of the first semester; she was hoping to get a fresh start, find new friends and hope that they turned out different than her other 'friends' from West High. She honestly hoped that Chad kept her secret.

"Gabby?" the brunette looked up when her name was called and she smiled tiredly when she saw Chad. _Talking about the devil_. She thought.

"Hey," she said.

"How's your dad?" he asked, leaning on the locker next to hers.

"He's alright," she sighed. "Yesterday he finally told me that he forgot to take his pill on Saturday, which explains everything," Gabriella told him. "And he slept well last night."

"Good," he said. "And you? How are you?"

"Could be better," she admitted. "I didn't sleep much last night; I… was kind of worried that he would have another episode, so… I just stayed up."

Chad shook his head and sighed. "Well, there isn't much you could've done if he did have another episode, but to call us again," he told her. "Plus my mom told you that he wouldn't, since he took his pill."

"Yes, I know, I got that," Gabriella nodded. "But, I can't help it. He's my dad and I worry about him."

"I know, Gabby," Chad grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I would too if I were in your place."

Gabriella bit her lower lip and looked down at their linked hands before looking back up at him. "Thank you, Chad."

He frowned. "For what?"

"For everything. I don't know how the hell I would've been able to pay the night at the Hospital if it wasn't because your mom talked to her people," Gabriella mumbled.

"Hey," Chad squeezed her hand again. "You don't have to thank me anything, Gabby. I know we've been friends for just like five months, but, you're almost like a sister now, you're my best friend," he smiled.

Gabriella smiled back. "Thanks," she let go of his hand and stepped forward to give him a big bear hug. Chad rubbed her back and then, after a small period of time, they pulled back. "Hey, Chad, do you mind if we… kept this whole thing a secret?"

Chad frowned. "Sure, Gabby," he nodded. "Trust me; I wasn't planning on telling anybody."

"Good," she nodded. "You're great."

"I know," he smirked and Gabriella rolled her eyes before letting out another tired yawn. Chad's smirk disappeared and he let out a puff of air. "Gabby, maybe you should go home and rest," he suggested.

"Nah," she shook her head. "By lunch I'll be okay, I promise," she smiled at him.

"Okay," he sighed. "If you say so."

* * *

><p>Entering all the classes was killing him. He was bored out his mind; and hearing Fritch ramble on and on and on about the same subject they had been talking about since the last History class, was making everything worse. He looked up at the clock that was hanging above the whiteboard and sighed. Two more minutes, he only had to endure two more minutes and then he would be able to escape the classroom.<p>

When the bell rang, he was the first one to get out of there, making Mr. Fritch shake his head at him. "That kid will fail History for sure," he said to himself as he sat over his desk and watched the other students exit the classroom.

"God, that class is going to bore me till death," Troy mumbled to himself as he walked up to his locker. Once he was there, he opened it up and took out his wallet from his backpack. Since the last time that he forgot his wallet and he bullied a freshman for money and Gabriella stepped in the middle of the scene, he decided to place his wallet inside his backpack every night to avoid any other 'Pizza-Charity' acts from the brunette whatsoever.

He closed his locker and walked over to the cafeteria with his hands deep in his pockets. Once he was there, he looked around and quickly spotted Gabriella sitting with Chad, Taylor, Sharpay and Zeke. Troy smirked a little. It looked like Hobbs was still a little scared after Troy told him to stop bothering Gabriella; he stopped sitting with them at Lunch and joined the rest of the basketball team after that day. That made Troy feel pretty damn satisfied. As he walked over to the lunch line, a pair of brown orbs followed him.

"Gabriella! God, stop it!" Taylor rolled her eyes, noticing that her friend lost focus in their conversation. "Isn't working with Bolton on the stupid dance enough? Quit staring at him!"

"Taylor, if I didn't know you, and you weren't dating Chad, I'd say you're jealous," Sharpay commented next to Gabriella as she popped a cheese fry into her mouth. Chad chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm not jealous!" Taylor rolled her eyes. "Even after she continues to ignore me completely, I'm still trying to look after my friend!" she explained. Gabriella rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything. She had tried to argue with Taylor before and it never lead to anything.

"Like you looked after her when Austin began stalking her?" Sharpay arched an eyebrow. "Tay, you encouraged him to keep bugging her for two whole weeks."

"I said I was sorry, okay?" Taylor rolled her eyes. "Austin seemed like a good guy, he liked Gabby, was a friend of Chad´s and Zeke's, and he's extremely cute!" Chad turned to her and glared.

"Hey!" he exclaimed.

Taylor ignored him. "I thought he would be a good suitor for Gabby."

"Well obviously he was not," Gabriella scoffed. "And you should thank Troy, because he cleaned after your mess!"

"What!" Taylor gawked.

"Yeah…baby, she's right," Chad said, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, if you haven't noticed, after Troy told Austin to back off, he hasn't come near Gabriella again," Chad said. "Or do you see him sitting here with us, today?"

Taylor narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend before scoffing and crossing her arms. "Fine, I'll give you that one. But still, I believe that Bolton is an asshole! I mean he told me to-."

"Fuck off," everyone chanted at the same time while rolling their eyes. Taylor pouted like a little girl and everyone at the table laughed.

"Well," Gabriella sighed while standing up. "I feel like eating a pudding," she grinned at her friends. "Does anyone want anything?"

"Oh could you bring me a Dr. Pepper?" Zeke grinned at her and the brunette nodded.

"Sure," she grinned back and walked away.

"Am I the only one who doesn't believe that she's just going to look for a pudding?" Sharpay asked, not looking up from her fries.

"Nope," Chad said while Zeke shook his head. Taylor scoffed and rolled her eyes again, before focusing down on her tuna salad.

"That girl should listen to me," the dark skinned girl mumbled to herself.

Troy took out his wallet from his pants and handed the lunch lady a 10 dollar to pay for his lunch. He chose a ham and cheese sandwich with fries to the side and an orange juice box. He turned around and walked over to his usual table. It didn't pass more than five minutes after he sat down, when a certain brunette sat down in front of him. Troy groaned.

"Now what?" he asked, placing his sandwich down on his plate.

"What's your favorite color?" the brunette asked, peeling the lid of her pudding.

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "Really? You seriously think I'm gonna follow this 20-questions-game-bull-crap?"

"I would say it's black or blue," Gabriella continued to say, ignoring his comment. "Since apparently that's what you always wear."

Troy rolled his eyes. "Go away."

"Nope," she said, taking a spoonful of her chocolate pudding. "I said I was going to get to know you, so that's what I'm doing."

"And I said that you were going to waste your time," Troy responded. "Now, I believe that you were very comfortable with your friends, so why don't you just go back to their table and leave me alone?" he asked.

Gabriella licked the back of her spoon. "Do you know me at all, Troy?" she asked. "Plus, I like to be with you, when you're not all defensive."

"What?" he frowned. When has he ever not been defensive with her?

"I like being with you," she repeated while shrugging. "So am I right? Your favorite color is blue?"

"When have I not been defensive when you're around?" he asked, ignoring her other question.

Gabriella arched an eyebrow at him. "You seriously want to go there?"

"Yes, in fact, I would like to know."

"Okay," she shrugged. "Well, for instance when we almost kissed in your front yard four months ago, when we did kiss in the hallway and you said that I drove you nuts," she said, blushing a little. Troy's eyes widened for a moment before he cleared his throat awkwardly. Damn, she remembered that. "Also in the coffee shop or in your house, when I'm not touching any subjects that have to do with you, you tend to be more relaxed," she said.

Troy looked at her for a moment before shaking his head and looking down at his plate. "If you got me all figured out, then why do you keep trying to interrogate me about my life?" he asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Honestly?" she asked. He looked up at her and she shrugged. "I'm not quite sure," she admitted.

"Oh so you're just pissing me off out of fun?" he asked, taking a sip of his orange juice.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "No."

"Then why?"

"I said I'm not sure," she repeated.

"Then tell me what you are sure of, Cupcake," Troy challenged her.

Gabriella stared at him, thoughtful for a second, before shaking her head. "No, Cinnamon Roll, two can play this game. You want answers from me? Then tell me what your favorite color is," she said.

Troy scoffed. He wondered what her game-plan was; she was asking just for his favorite color, nothing too complicated, nothing too personal, something that everybody could easily answer. She was willing to give a greater piece of information to Troy, in exchange of his favorite color. What was the deal with that? He eyed her for a moment, as if trying to read her mind.

And boy was Troy smart. He knew that if she got him to answer that small and insignificant question, she would get him to open a crack of the door to his mind; he would give her a piece of the key to his deepest secret.

He smirked at her. She was clever. Information for information. She was working little by little. But no, he wouldn't let her win just like that. It's like she said: two can play this game.

"Grey," he lied.

It was Gabriella's turn to eye him back. She smirked too. "You are bundle full of lies."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "How do you know I'm lying?"

"Because I know you enough to know that you wouldn't give up just like that," she said. "You never answer my questions," she grinned.

"Then how the hell do you expect to get to know me if you know everything I answer is a lie?" he asked back.

Gabriella stared at him, seeing if he was talking seriously. Troy, alone, has told Gabriella little things about himself, little things that didn't have too much importance, like his immunity to caffeine, but yet, it was little stuff like that, that Gabriella loved to make mental note of. She thought over that fact when she was in the hospital with her dad; she actually didn't have to push Troy around to get to know him… she just had to be herself around him; it made him feel not threatened, in her opinion.

"You really haven't noticed, have you?"

"Haven't noticed what?" he asked, frowning. Okay, she was starting to scare him.

The brunette continued to grin. "Well this is great," she nodded, stealing a fry from his plate. He glared at her as she dipped the fry into her pudding and brought it to her mouth.

"You're disgusting," he told her.

Gabriella looked up at him and frowned. "Why? It tastes good!"

"I've heard of Mc Donald's ice-cream and fries, but that is just plain weird," he told her. Gabriella rolled her eyes as she stole another fry and dipped it in her pudding. She stretched her arm in front of her, handing it over to Troy, but he just looked at her frowning.

"Try it," she said.

"Uh, no," he said, going back to his sandwich.

"C'mon, try it, don't be a pussy!" she said. "I promise you'll like it."

"Leave me alone and I may try it," he responded, narrowing his eyes at her.

Gabriella huffed and stood up from her seat, giving Troy a slight hope that she was just going to walk away; but no, she sat next to him and continued to shove the fry into his face.

"Try it!" she ordered.

"No!" he yelled at her, moving to one side to create space between them. Gabriella scooted closer to him.

"I won't leave you alone till you try it!" she exclaimed.

"Gabriella, get that thing out of my face!" he growled at her, grabbing her wrist.

"Eat it!"

By now, half the cafeteria was staring at the couple fight, including Gabriella's group of friends and a very jealous Austin, who was at the other side of the cafeteria. Chad chuckled amused as he watched Gabriella and his old friend interact. It was like watching Troy go back to his old self. That little scene right there, it was what it took to finally convince Chad that Gabriella hadn't come to East High out of pure coincidence. She was there for something.

"I'm going to break your wrist if you don't stop it right now," Troy warned her.

Gabriella glared at him. "Suit yourself; it's your suspension after all," she said, reminding Troy that they were in school.

"Get. It. Out. Of. My. Face," he ordered once more.

"Try it!" Gabriella took the fry out of her trapped hand with her free one.

"No-!" and then she shoved the fry into Troy's mouth, taking him by surprise and making him let go of Gabriella's wrist. The brunette laughed as the blue eyed teen chewed on the fry and glared at her.

"I don't like you," Troy growled at her after he swallowed the fry.

"But did you like the fry?" she grinned at him, still giggling a little.

"No!" he exclaimed on her face.

Gabriella arched an eyebrow at him with a smirk. "You sure? Want to try another one?" she asked, going for his plate, which Troy moved out of her reach.

"Go away!"

"You are just a sore loser," she stated.

"Seriously, Cupcake, isn't it enough for you to go to my house three times a week, and spend your free period with me on Tuesdays and Thursdays, that you also have to come stalk me on my lunch time?" Troy asked, narrowing his eyes at her. "And I'm not a sore loser."

"I do not stalk you and you know it," she said, rolling her eyes. "And yes you are a sore loser, because you won't admit that you liked my fry!"

"I didn't," he growled, feeling frustrated that she was still there.

"Oh you totally _loved_ my fry!" she smirked.

"Go away!" he yelled again. "Go back to your friends; Taylor seems to miss you since she keeps glaring at me," he said, feeling Taylor's eyes drilling on the side of his skull.

"What?" she frowned and turned to her friends' table and saw all of them turn around quickly, except for Taylor, who shook her head at the brunette. She turned back to Troy. "Well, I gave Zeke his Dr. Pepper before coming over here, so I got no business left with them. Well, until later… when they start asking about this," she said, motioning between her and Troy. "Plus Taylor is just being dramatic and stupid like always; she still resents you for telling her to fuck off."

Troy rolled his eyes. "Not surprised," he mumbled, grabbing his orange juice box. "That girl has always been fucked up."

"She's not that fucked up," Gabriella defended her. "She's quite cool… when she isn't scolding you, yelling or calling you stupid," the brunette said. "She's just…"

"Fucked up," Troy finished for her, making Gabriella giggle a little and roll her eyes.

* * *

><p>Lydia Frank eyed the menu and pursed her lips thoughtfully, trying to decide what to order and pretending not to notice Jack's eyes on her. When she finally decided between the blue berry pancakes and the cheese omelet, she closed the menu and placed it over the table. She smiled at Jack and tucked some of her blonde hair behind her left ear.<p>

"So," she started, making Jack smile up at her. "Now that I finally agreed to go out with you after your continues and stalking calls, what now?"

"Well," Jack shrugged, placing his menu down on the table as well. "We get to know each other," he grinned at her.

"Okay," Lydia smiled. "What would you like to know?"

Jack bit the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. "Well," he pondered. "How old are you?"

The blonde business woman arched an eyebrow at him. "Really? You really want to ask that?"

"Uh w-why? I-is it a bad question?" Jack stuttered. "I-I'm sorry, u-uhm, w-what's your favorite food?"

Lydia laughed. "How long has it been since your last date?" she asked.

"Uh," the blue eyed man scratched his forehead. "A while," he admitted.

"Come on," she smiled at his shyness. "Tell me."

Jack fiddled with his thumbs over the green table and cleared his throat. "A little more than 18 years," he said.

"Wow," the blonde blinked. "Yes, it has been definitely a while," she agreed.

"Yeah, well," he shrugged, looking up at her. "I've never really been attracted to anyone since then," he said. "Until now," he grinned. Lydia blushed and smiled back at him.

"Well, I'm flattered."

"What about you?" Jack asked. "When was your last date?"

Lydia grinned at him. "A little over 10 years," she nodded, making Jack laugh.

"It seems like we've both been a little bit inactive these past few years," he joked.

"Seems like it," the blonde agreed with a nod. "To be honest, since my husband left me and my daughter when she was just one year old, I haven't been really looking for a relationship."

"I see," Jack nodded. "So you have a daughter?"

"Yes," Lydia grinned. "Her name's Theresa, but she prefers Terry," she said. Jack couldn't help but notice how her eyes lit up as she mentioned her daughter, like if she was the most precious thing in the world. He let out a small chuckle.

"How old is she?" he asked.

"She just turned nine on January," Lydia answered. "She's… my sunshine," she cooed.

"I see. They're cute at that age, right?" Jack commented, smiling at her.

The blonde frowned at him, still smiling. "You have kids?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Uh," Jack nodded. "Yeah… yeah. One boy. His name's Troy, he's 17," he mentioned, obviously not as excited and joyful as his date.

"Oh!" Lydia's smile grew bigger, not having noticed the lack of emotion in Jack's eyes. "That's so nice. He's a junior or a senior?"

"Junior," he said. "He's a clever boy, but he could do so much better if he wasn't such a lazy ass and didn't skip class every two days," he scoffed.

"Well, they say that smart kids tend to get bored in class because they already know their stuff," Lydia said. "So they tend to make disorder in class or simple skip it," she smirked. "Maybe your boy's a genius."

"Yeah, I don't think that's his case, Lydia," Jack rolled his eyes. "He's just a lazy ass."

The blonde laughed and shook her head at him. "You're mean, Jack!"

* * *

><p>"I thought we were far done with the music."<p>

Gabriella rolled her eyes as she plugged the USB Kelsi gave her that morning in Troy's laptop. "Yeah well, 30 songs aren't enough for a party, Troy," she explained. "Especially if we do hire the DJ that Sharpay contacted on Friday; he's going mix his songs with Kelsi's and let's just say that he's going to need quite a large list."

Troy sighed. "What about 'Dumb and Dumber' with the theme and shit?"

The brunette shot him a disapproving look. "Don't call them that," she said, turning back to the computer and clicking on the iTunes icon. "And they came up with another two ideas since you also despised their Cinderella theme and the Costume Party theme."

"Well, you can't blame me," Troy said. "It's not Halloween to make a Costume Party. And the Cinderella Theme? Please, just, come on!"

"I know, Troy, I know," Gabriella rolled her eyes, chuckling. "You made that quite clear, already," she pressed the Play button and the first song started playing. The brunette bent over and took out a folder from her backpack and took out two sheets of paper, before handing them over to Troy.

"These are their new ideas," she said.

"Are they even worth reading?" Troy grumbled, arching an eyebrow at her.

"One is a Masquerade theme and the other one is The Last Waltz," Gabriella said, accommodating herself so she was resting on the corner between the arm rest and the back of the couch.

"Oh God," Troy mumbled to himself, rubbing his face. He felt like such a girl doing this. And he didn't want to read about more stupid ideas from stupid people, when in reality he didn't give a crap about the decorations being pink or black! "Tell me again, why am I the one going over this thing? Why can't you decide?"

Gabriella raised her hands up in defense. "Hey, I was fine with the Undersea theme! You're the one who started going all designer on me," she joked.

Troy faked a laugh at her and rolled his eyes. "Last time I recall, you dropped the papers on me," he complained, throwing the papers on the coffee table.

"I wanted your opinion since you're my partner!" she argued.

"And you got it," he said, pushing the papers to her. "Honestly, I don't give a crap about the theme. So, you choose."

"Fine," she gave him a sarcastic smile. "Then I choose the Cinderella theme and you are going as Prince Charming!"

Troy scoffed. "If you think I'm going, you're very brain damaged."

Gabriella glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I offend you?" he asked sarcastically.

She shook her head at him before grabbing the papers from the table and looking over them. "You're an asshole," she mumbled. Troy stared at the frown on her face and smirked a little; she looked very cute when she was angry. Two seconds later the brunette looked back up, still frowning.

"You know, you better start being more respectful with me, or else I'll tell Darbus that you didn't do a shit and that I did all the work," she said. "And you _know_ that she'll believe me."

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "Are you threatening me, Cupcake?"

"Yes, indeed I am!" she said, turning back to her papers. "So you better cut it out."

The brown haired boy chuckled amused. "Right, because I take orders from you," he nodded sarcastically.

"You should," she mumbled, passing to the second sheet of paper. "You really don't know what I'm capable of, Cinnamon Roll; I could make your life a living hell if I wanted to," she looked up at him and smirked.

_Oh boy, you're wrong_. He thought. His life was already a living hell. And she was the thing that was torturing him the most. He smirked back at her. "You're a bundle full of lies," he said, making reference to the comment she made earlier that day in the cafeteria.

Gabriella glared at him. "Hey, repeating your phrases to mock you is my thing, not yours!"

He shrugged. "Does it look like I care?"

"You don't care about anything," she rolled her eyes. "So what does it matter?"

Troy chuckled and leaned back against the couch, crossing his arms. Gabriella stared at him by the corner of her eye and huffed. For a moment, the only thing that could be heard was the party music softly playing in the background as Gabriella read the decorations list for the 'The Last Waltz' theme. She bit her lower lip and grimaced. No, yeah, Troy was right, Jake and Andy were awful. That was a horrible idea for only a Spring Ball; those guys seemed to want to plan a prom. No, she was definitely going for the Masquerade theme. It was the best idea they'd had so far.

Troy stared at Gabriella as she silently read. She was biting her lower lip, grimacing and scratching the little piece of skin between her eyebrows as her eyes roamed over the papers in her hands. He didn't notice when the small smile spread across his face, but he did notice how beautiful she was. And yes, he also noticed that he began letting himself think about her more than he should; yet, he knew that he wasn't able to do much about it. As long as he didn't let those thoughts roll out of his tongue, then there was nothing he really had to worry about.

At the beginning he knew that thinking about her would only cause him to suffer more. The only thing that those thoughts brought was the tiring attempt to control himself harder when she was around.

But, then he thought; he already suffered anyway, and so far, he was doing well at keeping his distance (He hadn't launched himself at her and attacked her lips). So yes; as long as he didn't let his thoughts out of his mouth, everything would be alright.

Gabriella suddenly gasped as one of her favorite songs –'Fireflies' by Owl City– started playing in Troy's laptop and she smiled. She looked over to the boy sitting next to her and he arched an eyebrow at her.

"I love that song!" she exclaimed.

"Yay," Troy exclaimed sarcastically back at her, rolling his eyes. "So? What do you want me to do?" he asked.

Gabriella grinned at him and stood up, dropping the papers on the table. "Dance with me!"

"Ha! No," he shook his head. "You're crazy."

"C'mon!" the brunette grabbed his wrist and pulled on him, making him uncross his arms but not get up.

"No!" he denied again, pulling his arm back.

"Troy, please," Gabriella pleaded.

"No."

"Please!"

"No!"

"Please!"

"NO!"

"Are you gay or something?"

"What?" he frowned.

"Because I honestly don't see the problem in dancing with a girl," she said, crossing her arms. "If I were a dude, would you dance with me then?"

Troy glared at her. "Nice try, Cupcake."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. She grabbed his left wrist again –with her two hands this time– and pulled him up. Troy stumbled forward a little before he regained his balance and looked at Gabriella with a shocked expression. He hadn't expected her to be that strong.

"I have a big brother who's ten years older than me," she shrugged, answering his unspoken question. "I'm strong."

Troy narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm still not dancing with you."

The brunette let go of his wrist and placed her hands on his hips. "C'mon, you just have to move a little," she said, attempting to move his hips for him. Troy pushed her hands away.

"I'm not dancing with you," he told her. He turned around but Gabriella grabbed him by the belt loops of his jeans from behind and pulled him back. "Gabriella!" Troy growled.

The girl just laughed as she went to stand in front of him. "What are you afraid of?"

"I am not afraid," he said.

She shrugged. "Prove it. Dance with me," she requested, grabbing his hands and entwining her fingers with his. Troy opened his mouth to answer but Gabriella cut him off. "Yes, I know, 'I don't have to prove anything to you' blah, blah, blah," she rolled her eyes and Troy narrowed his eyes at her.

"You're not funny," he grumbled at her.

"I wasn't trying to be funny," she smirked at him. "Wait! I'm gonna restart the song," she said, letting go of his hands a moment and jogged back to the laptop.

Troy stood there with a frown adorning his face. What…the…hell? A second ago he wasn't going to dance with her. How the fuck…?

The song suddenly stopped and seconds later it started playing again from the beginning. Gabriella jogged back to Troy, who continued to frown, and grabbed his hands again. The blue eyed boy stared down at her, grimacing, as she pulled him to the other side of the coffee table so they had more space.

"Cupcake, I'm not dancing!"

"Yes you are, Cinnamon Roll, and don't give me that face," Gabriella rolled her eyes. Troy didn't say anything as he watched Gabriella begging to move from side to side. He just stood there, feeling awkward as he didn't know how to dance.

"Come on, Troy, don't just stand there," the brunette scolded him.

"Well, I'm sorry Cupcake, but I don't dance," he told her.

"It isn't that hard," she said. "C'mon, just follow me," she continued to move from side to side in short steps. Troy sighed frowning and started moving with her. Well, one dance couldn't hurt right? Besides, she was just going to continue bothering him until he agreed to. Seriously, why do he keeps letting her win?

"I can't believe you got me doing this," he grumbled again.

The brunette giggled as she raised their hands to their sides. "Well, you're doing it very good!"

The sliding door of the kitchen bar that connected to the dining room suddenly opened.

"Kids-," Annie began to say but her eyes widened when she saw Troy and Gabriella dancing in the middle of the living room. Her Troy; her grumpy, cocky, unfriendly Troy was dancing. In the living room. With Gabriella. Troy was dancing with Gabriella! "Oh my God," she mumbled to herself as a wide grin spread across her face.

Troy was dancing! With Gabriella! Troy was dancing with Gabriella! In the living room!

The honey-colored eyed woman turned to the maids, who were fighting over the last piece of chocolate cake that Annie made for dessert. "Girls!" she whispered yelled at them. They turned their heads towards Annie and she waved them over. Isabelle and Nicole looked at each other before jumping off the tall chairs of the kitchen island and jogged over to the cook. They stood next to her as they both looked out to the living room. Their expressions copied Annie's as soon as their shocker passed; their eyes softened and they both awed in silence, not wanting to interrupt the teens' moment in any way.

"It's hard to say I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep," Gabriella sang along with the song. "Cause everything is never as it seems, when I fall asleep."

Troy rolled his eyes but smirked at her. "I bet you have really bizarre dreams and that's why you like this song," he said.

How it'd happened? He gave in to her. When it happened? He didn't know. But the thing was that at some point it did. Troy forgot about everything. He forgot about his father, he forgot about him killing his mom, he forgot about his barriers, he forgot about his promise. He just focused on Gabriella.

But he knew; he knew it wasn't supposed to be happening and he knew he was supposed to be distant with her. But it just felt right. That feeling of want to not give a damn anymore was taking control of his body. It had just happened twice, and now, it was happening for a third time. Damn Gabriella and damn the effect she had on him.

"I don't know," Gabriella shrugged. "But if you count hippos eating your big gigantic head, Bolton, then yes, I do have bizarre dreams," she smirked back.

"Funny," he said, sarcastically. He let go of one of her hands and wrapped his left arm around her waist, pulling her closer. Gabriella squealed surprised and giggled stupidly as they continued moving around. Troy smiled down at her.

"Go get my cell phone!" Annie whispered yelled at Isabelle and she quickly ran to get the cook's purse, which was sitting on one of the tall chairs in the kitchen.

"I think I have never seen Mr. Bolton smile like that before," Nicole commented, resting her chin on her hand. "Well, actually I've never seen him smile before."

"Me neither," Isabelle said, handing the cell phone over to Annie. "Isn't it romantic?" she squealed. Annie shook her head at the maids and searched for the camera icon on her phone.

"Look, look," Nicole continued to say. "It's all like 'Houston, we have a problem. We may have just lost contact with the world'," she giggled.

Annie and Isabelle giggled along. "No, no," Isabelle chipped in. "If there were little bitter people controlling his brain they would be like 'No, yeah, we lost him'."

"Shut up you two," Annie giggled. "I need to concentrate or else the picture will come out blurry."

Gabriella grinned up at Troy. She loved the smile that was plastered on his handsome face. "See? Nothing horrible happened," she said as the song came to an end, and along with it, Troy's… 'high state'. They stopped dancing, but Troy didn't let go and he didn't say anything. He just stared at her, feeling utterly weird, like if he had butterflies in his stomach. He also felt confused at the fact that his heart was beating faster than usual. What was happening?

His eyes roamed over her face, studying it carefully. He noticed that she had dark circles under her eyes, but… she was smiling. She looked like she had only a few hours of sleep and yet, she looked happy. He wondered why. Why was she so hard working and dedicated and had two jobs? How did she manage to still look… positive?

And why was she so interested in him? Why did she come into his life and made him… dance?

"Who are you?" he mumbled to her. The brunette frowned, and as she was about to ask him what he meant, a flash flew off and a fake camera sound was heard.

Their heads turned to where the flash came from and Troy narrowed his eyes at the three women who were standing behind the bar. Nicole and Isabelle quickly ducked down to hide, and Annie hid her cell phone behind her back.

"Oops?" she smiled innocently at Troy.

"Okay, that's it!" Troy said, letting go of Gabriella, who was blushing profusely. "You three are fired!"

* * *

><p>Gabriella bit the inside of her cheek as Troy pulled over in front of her house. She was still wondering what he had meant with his question. But after Annie took the picture of them dancing, the atmosphere became too weird and awkward; so she really didn't have the guts to ask.<p>

Troy would barely look at her and he would just mumble an 'uh-huh' at everything she asked or said, so she figured that it wouldn't be a good idea to ask. It was obvious that he was angry; probably because the brunette made him dance, or maybe because his maids and his cook took a picture of him when he was dancing. Gabriella winced when she remembered how he stormed into the kitchen to yell at them.

"You're not really going to fire them, are you?" the brunette asked, rubbing her right arm as she looked at Troy.

He huffed and shook his head. "No," he looked up ahead of him and Gabriella continued to bite the inside of her cheek as she saw that his eyes were a little darker than usual. She definitely didn't like that navy blue in them.

"You're still mad?" she asked softly.

"Yes," he grumbled. "So please, don't start with your stupid jokes and… just get out."

The brunette grimaced. "I said I was sorry."

"Gabriella," Troy sighed. "Don't. Please, just… don't."

"If I knew Annie was spying, trust me, I wouldn't have suggested it. I just... I wanted… I wanted for us to have a little fun."

Troy rubbed his face and shook his head. He looked over to Gabriella with his dark blue eyes and sighed when he saw her tired and sorry face.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he told her. "Now get out."

The brunette sighed and nodded. She leaned forward and kissed Troy on the cheek, making him freeze like always.

"Please don't be mad," she pleaded softly and opened her door.

Without saying anything, Troy watched her get out of the car and walk to her house. His eyes never left her until she opened her front door and waved one last time. He sighed and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and pointer finger.

"What am I going to do?" he mumbled to himself. This was some sick punishment from the higher force. He didn't understand what was exactly what she did to make him lose focus, to make him forget that he was a murderer and didn't deserve to even smile. Why had she come?

He knew she was too good to be true. And he also knew that if he even thought about giving her an opportunity, another door would just slam close on his face. "What am I going to do?" he mumbled again.

* * *

><p><em>Who are you?<em> That was his question. _Who are you?_

What was she supposed to answer to that? She was…well, her. Who else could she be?

Gabriella sighed as she flopped down on her bed and covered her face with her arms. She definitely hadn't pictured that day going as awfully as it did. At the beginning it was… well… going… not so bad. And now, Troy was even more defensive than he was before. She had to make smaller moves, not ask him to _dance_! Well, force him to dance, actually.

_Who are you? _

What had he meant by that? Why would he even ask that? One moment they were looking at each other, Gabriella cursing herself because she was playing romantic music in the back of her head, and suddenly… he asks who she was.

She just hoped that he was in the better mood tomorrow, so she could ask him about it.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Hello there my peeps! How are you in this nice, beautiful morning/afternoon/evening? **

**Good? Great!**

**Well, last week I finished my finals, on Sunday I made my admission test to college again, which I think I did worse than the last time, so I ask you to PRAY for me! xD **

**Aaand I just noticed that I wrote July 3****rd**** instead of June 3rd on my last post, sorry, I was sleepy xD **

**But as I said, I'm gonna start writing my book, so my updates won't be very often. If you want to know what my book is about, you can send me a message! :)**

**Oh and you're also probably wondering: since when does Gabriella have a brother? Well… since always; remember that he doesn't live with them, that he has his own job and he's saving pennies for his wedding (It's on Chapter four 'Coffee Shop'.) I'll be mentioning him more in the next few chapters. **

**Love you all!**

**Don't forget to review.**

**Lots of Love,**

**Mary. **

**PS: SORRY FOR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING MISTAKES! xD **


	15. Beanie

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter fourteen _

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**!**

**You better read chapter seven 'Heart locket' just to remind yourselves where the heart locket came from. Lol**

**Oh and remember how Troy used to flirt with the librarian? (Chapter one 'Push her away') I'm making reference of that in this chapter, so, just so you remember. **

* * *

><p>When Troy got home that night, he went up straight to his room, not minding to check if his father was still awake, or if Annie had left, or if the maids went off to bed. He was still fuming.<p>

Isabelle and Nicole were already in their beds, watching T.V in the room they shared, when they heard a door slam closed and they both winced. They looked at each other and Nicole grimaced. They had definitely gone too far this time.

Troy took off his shirt and tossed it somewhere in his room, he took off his jeans and his tennis-shoes and walked up to his bed, flopping down on it and groaning annoyed. She was perfect; everything she did, everything she said. She did it perfectly. Her flaws were even perfect to him! The way she annoyed him, the way she went too far with stuff, the way she made him smile…

The way she made him forget about every little thing about his fucked up life.

And he still wondered why. Why was God, or whatever higher force there was, punishing him like that? Was it because he finally let Annie be his friend? Because Gabriella had come way before that. He sighed. He had no idea. He didn't know why Gabriella Montez appeared into his life.

He sighed to himself before getting back up and pulling the sheets back. He turned out the light of his room and got into his bed. He sat up and just stayed still for a moment, thinking how he was screwing everything up. His plans weren't turning out the way he wanted. By now, Gabriella Montez should have been afraid to even look at him in the eye and turn around to walk in the opposite direction every time they crossed paths.

As Troy was about to turn the lamp of his bedside table off, his eyes posed on one of the drawers of his desk. Her necklace was there; the heart locket with the engraved 'G' that he had found on his front yard when they almost kissed. He would always look at the drawer before going to bed, but would always ignore the urge to take the heart locket out. But this time he didn't. He stood up and walked up to his desk and opened the drawer.

And there it was. Sitting in the place where he had last dropped it. He took it and passed his thumb over the 'G' before going back to bed. He hesitated for a while, thinking the pros and cons of finally opening it. He had endured for so long…

He scoffed.

"Fuck it, I'm screwing everything up, anyway," he mumbled to himself before opening the heart locket. There was a picture, just like Troy had supposed. There was a man around 45 years old, a guy around 18 or 19 years old and then there was Gabriella, who seemed to have 9 in that picture. Troy smiled. It looked like the younger guy –who Troy quickly identified as Gabriella's brother– was hugging her, and the older guy –Gabriella's dad– was placing his hands over the shoulders of the younger guy. They looked happy. Troy wondered where her brother was now. Gabriella had said that he was 10 years older than her, so he was probably married and with kids. He also noticed that her mother wasn't in that picture either. He remembered when Gabriella said that she wished she had pictures of her mom; he could conclude too many things by that. But which of his theories was true, he didn't know.

His eyes caught a phrase engraved next to the picture. '_The person who has fallen and gotten back up is greater than the one who hasn't fallen yet. Gabby, you're greater_. _Love, Dad_.'

Troy sighed and frowned. The heart locket maybe mattered to Gabriella more than he ever thought. He remembered the day when he wanted to put the necklace in Gabriella's locker just to avoid giving it to her in person (which didn't turn out too good since they ended up kissing); he had thought that it was just a bad quality necklace and that the brunette wouldn't miss it at all. He now felt guilty, since it was just a lame excuse to keep it.

Would it be too late if he tried to give it back now?

* * *

><p>The next morning, Gabriella woke up feeling more rested than the day before, although Troy's question kept her up till midnight. But five hours of sleep were better than none. She got to the flower shop at 5:30 AM and then left right after 7:30. She still didn't get why they opened that early, almost nobody came at that time. But she wasn't going to complain; the pay was good.<p>

The brunette yawned as she hopped off the bus and made her way to East High's building. She wasn't really in the mood to be in class that day, but there wasn't much she could do about it but to try to not fall asleep. Especially in History. _Specifically_ in History.

"Good morning, sunshine," Chad greeted his best friend, leaning on the locker next to hers.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "What's so good about it?" she grumbled.

The boy grimaced. "Didn't sleep last night either?"

"I did," Gabriella said. "I got five hours of continuous sleep."

"Five hours?" Chad arched an eyebrow.

"Well, it was Troy's fault!" she argued.

"Troy…" Chad smirked. "I see."

The brunette blushed and shook her head at her friend. "Not that way, Chad! He… made a comment last night that got me thinking, that's all."

"What kind of comment?" he frowned.

"The kind where he asks me who I am," she responded, letting out a small yawn.

"What?" Chad's frown grew deeper. "How do you mean?"

"He literarily asked me who I am," Gabriella said.

"Like: 'who are you?'" he scratched his head with one finger.

"Yes, Chad! What? Am I not speaking English?" the brunette snapped at him, slamming her locker closed. Her friend jumped back, a little startled.

"Sorry!" he raised his hands up in defense. "I was just making sure I got what you meant, okay? Jeez, woman, you need to find a bed now!"

Gabriella sighed. "Sorry. I guess I do."

There was a little moment of silence between the two friends, before Chad suddenly snorted and Gabriella stared up at him with a questioning look. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing," he shook his head, chuckling. "I just saw the double meaning in that."

"I'm out of here," Gabriella rolled her eyes and turned around to leave. "Pig!"

"Aw, Gabby, come back!" he laughed.

Gabriella let out a groan as she rested her head over her desk once she entered homeroom. At that moment she hated Chad, she hated Troy, she hated her classmates –who continued to make noise–, she hated school and she hated her uncomfortable desk just because it wasn't her bed. The bell rang and Gabriella groaned again; she hated that bell too.

"Alright, alright," Mrs. Darbus said as she entered the classroom. "Settle down, children. Mr. Jones, sit down; Ms. Diaz, spit out the gum; and Ms. Montez, I would appreciate it if you didn't fall asleep in my classroom! You had all night long to rest!" she exclaimed, slamming her binders over her desk. Gabriella sighed and rubbed her face; Mrs. Darbus just managed to get into the list of the things Gabriella hated that day.

The teacher looked around the room and sighed. "Where's Mr. Bolton? Don't tell me he's late again!"

"Chill, Darbus, I'm here," Troy said, rolling his eyes as he entered the classroom. He walked up to his place and frowned when he saw Gabriella resting her cheek on her hand with her eyes closed; again with the lack of sleep? He sighed and sat down. Mrs. Darbus narrowed her eyes at him.

"And take off your hat, Mr. Bolton," the teacher scolded him. "You know the rules."

Troy let out a puff of air and took his beanie off. "It's called a beanie."

"Yeah, your bean, I don't care," she said, making some of the students laugh. "Still, you can't wear it on my class," she then glared past Troy to Gabriella. "MS. MONTEZ!" she yelled, making the brunette jump awake.

"I'm awake!" she exclaimed, blinking her eyes in attempt to get rid of the sleep. The class laughed and Mrs. Darbus rolled her eyes.

"I'm not saying it again, Ms. Montez," she warned. "Next time, I'm giving you a detention."

Gabriella nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Troy frowned and shook his head. He wondered why Gabriella had been so tired the last couple of days. It was unusual of her to just fall asleep in class.

* * *

><p>Jack Bolton sighed as he walked over to his wife's grave. It had been so long since the last time he was there that he couldn't even remember; 2 years at least. He knew he was late for work, but, he was the boss, so he didn't exactly care; besides the fact that he told Michelle, his secretary, to cover for him in case he got an important call, and to cancel all his morning meetings.<p>

He felt a chill run down his spine as he stared down at the grave _'Lucille Joan Bolton 1964-2001'_, he read. "Hey, Lucy," he mumbled.

He noticed the almost fresh red tulips in the vase next to the gravestone and he frowned. It looked like Troy had been there. Jack growled silently to himself; apparently his son hadn't stopped visiting his mother after the little warning he gave him four months ago. That boy was stubborn.

The blue eyed man kneeled down and placed his hand over the stone. "I know, I'm a jerk for not coming to visit you more often," he said. "But I see that your son has. He's always been a tough cookie; never listens," he chuckled softly and rubbed the stone with his thumb. He bit his lips together and moistened them with his tongue. "I met someone," he smiled up at the stone. "Her name's Lydia; I think you would like her, she's… the kind of person you would hang out with," he said, continuing to rub the stone. "She's the Sales' Director of the WTC; she has a daughter, she's funny, and nice, and… yes, really pretty," he said.

"I really like her," he mumbled before sighing. "But you were the love of my life, Lucy, and I still miss you and think about you; I think there's not a day that passes by without me thinking of you. It's hard for me to just move on, you know?" he looked down, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. "I want your blessing, love. Please, give me a sign to know that you're okay with it, with me… moving on," he chewed the inside of his cheek. "If not, I'll understand."

Jack stood up and gave the stone a pat. "I love you, Lucille Joan, and I'll never stop; no matter who comes into my life. You'll always be my number one," he leaned down and kissed the gravestone. He sighed again before turning around and walking down the small hill of the graveyard.

He missed his wife. And for as much as he wanted to forgive his son for killing her, he couldn't. He simply couldn't. Troy was the reason why he still cried at nights, missing the sweet perfume of her skin and missing the warmth of her body when he held her when they slept. Yes, almost 11 years since her death and Jack Bolton still felt lonely. He hoped that Lydia would be the one to help him cure his wounds.

* * *

><p>Troy pushed the library's door open and he entered. He sent a quick wink at Ms. Hofstadter, who just scoffed and continued stamping books. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't visited the librarian since the beginning of the school year. And it pretty much had to do with a certain brunette that he was supposed to meet in there in 5 minutes; she was a handful of work; she always got him occupied.<p>

He sighed and made his way to one of the tables in the corner, where they decided to meet on the days they had to work in school. He arched an eyebrow when he saw that Gabriella was already there, but she had her head resting over her crossed arms. He walked up to her and poked her side, making her jolt up and gasp startled. She blinked her eyes rapidly and looked up.

Troy just stared down at her as he sat on the table. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him and slapped him on the arm. "Don't do that!"

He smirked as he rose up from the table and sat down on the chair next to her. Gabriella yawned and rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands.

"Well, you seem to be in a better mood today," the brunette mumbled as she sniffled.

"And you seem to not have slept at all," he responded, pushing his beanie down his face to cover his eyes, before pushing it back up.

"I slept more than yesterday, that's for sure," she said, bending down to take out some papers from her bag. "But I feel more tired."

"That has an easy explanation," Troy said, pulling the papers towards him with his pointer and middle finger. "The human body tends to be more alert when you lack energy, in case you get attacked and you're too sleepy to notice. Simple instincts. Some people don't experience it., though."

"Troy, I'm acing Biology," she grumbled. "I know that! I'm not an idiot."

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "Oh, please don't eat me," he said emotionless, mocking the brunette's grumpiness.

Gabriella glared at him. "Let's just get to work."

Troy sighed and looked down at the papers. "What are we supposed to do?"

"Well, since I chose the 'Masquerade theme', we're supposed to choose balloon colors, invitation designs, tablecloths, napkins, etc, etc, etc.," the brunette explained, separating the papers all over the a table so Troy could see.

"When on earth did they give you all this shit?" he asked, picking up the catalogue of the tablecloths; Dumb and Dumber were taking things too far.

"On lunch, when you disappeared again," the brunette said.

"Right," Troy nodded and sighed. "They couldn't go for the simpler way and just give us a list of what to buy, could they?"

The brunette small smiled at him. "Apparently not," she said. "Talking about that, we're supposed to go check the restaurants of the list that Jane and Kate gave us last week."

"So?"

"When are we gonna go?" she asked.

Troy sighed. "Friday."

"Okay," Gabriella nodded.

After 20 minutes of just reading catalogues, lists, and looking over invitation samples in silence, Gabriella bit her lower lip and looked up at Troy –who seemed to be more bored than ever as his eyes roamed over their work material. He hadn't boarded the subject of the dance, and the brunette was still curious about his question. And it seemed that he wasn't going to very soon, so Gabriella took a small breath and sighed.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked.

"You just did," Troy mumbled, not looking at her.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Troy…"

"Ask," he grumbled. "Even if I said you can't, you still will."

She small smiled. "Well," she chewed on her lip. "Uhm… uh…well, about last night…" she started.

"Oh boy," Troy murmured to himself and looked up to Gabriella. "What about it?"

"You asked me something that… well… I didn't really understand what you meant by it."

There was a moment of silence, where Troy just stared at her with a thoughtful look. What did he ask? Gabriella bit her lower lip.

"You asked me who I am," she finally said. Troy remained quiet, eyeing Gabriella as he processed her words; then his eyes widened in realization as he remembered. _Oh! That.._. _Oh_, _big fuck_.

"I see."

"Well, what did you mean by it?" the brunette continued to ask. Again, there was silence.

Troy sighed; she always needed to have an answer for everything, didn't she? He shook his head. "Nothing."

"So you just said it, just because?" Gabriella asked, glaring at him. He always had to avoid her questions, didn't he?

"Look, Cupcake," Troy said. "It's not like I said it just because. I just don't want to explain it to you."

"Why?" the brunette demanded.

"Because, I don't," he told her. "I came here to work on the stupid Spring Ball, not to answer your doubts."

"That's unfair," she complained.

"Life's unfair."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm getting it out of you sooner or later, Bolton."

"For the thousandth time: you're wasting your time, Cupcake," he narrowed his eyes back at her.

* * *

><p>After their free period ended, the two teens took off in separate ways to their next class. While Troy had Math, Gabriella had History. It was the class she feared the most; she was afraid that she wasn't going to be able to keep her eyes open for too long. But somehow she managed to do it. Maybe it had to do with the fact that she wasn't really paying attention to the class and was more occupied thinking of how to piss Troy off. His stupid question was the reason why she couldn't sleep the night before; it was payback time.<p>

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the day, Gabriella walked over to Troy's locker, not minding on going to hers first; if she made a stop, as quick as it was, she may not reach her annoying ball-planner partner. She still had no idea what to do exactly to disturb him, but she knew that her mere presence was enough to faze him up a bit; and with that, it was enough.

Troy couldn't wait to get home. The only thing he wanted was to go up to his room, close the curtains and get a tranquil nap. Gabriella's heart locket weighted like 10 pounds in his front pocket; he had wanted to give it to her, but he simply didn't know how. He didn't even know how to board the subject without leaving his cocky attitude aside; it would be hard to let his shields down –with him knowing, noticing and allowing it– and then build them back up. He had to have a… an open behavior; he couldn't just drop something as meaningful as her heart locket on her face and act like if he didn't give a damn that he had kept it –he wasn't that much of an asshole.

Well, now that he thought about it, maybe it was best if he did it like that. He sighed. He desperately needed some space just to think. The whole Gabriella business exhausted him.

As he was finishing placing all his books inside his locker, he felt his beanie being pulled off of his head, exposing his messy hair. He frowned as he looked up and then to his sides; he turned around and found Gabriella examining his grey beanie between her hands. _Talking about the devil_, he thought.

The brunette looked up. "See? You look more handsome like that," she smirked teasingly. "Though, you could totally use a haircut."

Troy glared at her. "Shouldn't you be on a bus to work?"

Gabriella shrugged. "Shouldn't you be on a motorcycle home?"

"Funny," he mumbled. He extended his hand. "Give it back."

"Nope," she smiled.

"Give it back," he repeated, taking a step towards her. Gabriella stepped back.

"What did you mean with your question?" she asked arching an eyebrow at him as she hid the beanie behind her back.

"Really, Cupcake?" Troy frowned at her. "You're blackmailing me with my beanie?"

Gabriella shrugged. "Yes."

"Give it back," he tried to reach for it behind the brunette's back, but she stepped to her left and switched the beanie to her other hand. Troy tried reaching for it again, but Gabriella turned so her back was facing him. "Gabriella!" he growled, wrapping an arm around her waist, both of them stretching their right arm out; Troy trying to grab his hat, and Gabriella trying to keep it out of his reach.

"No!" she grunted, stretching her arm as much as she could.

"Give it!" he exclaimed in her ear, making her wince a little.

"Get off, Bolton!" Gabriella growled at him.

"Give me back my beanie!" he growled too.

"Not until you give me an honest answer!"

"I thought you knew that I don't answer questions just like that," he grumbled, pinching her side. The brunette squealed and bent down just like Troy wanted –now his beanie was closer. He went to grab it, but the brunette was quicker and shoved it inside of her dark blue t-shirt. Troy glared down at her before letting go of her.

"Filthy move," he told her once she turned around. She smirked up at him as she crossed her arms in victory; the beanie making a ridiculous bulge in her chest.

"You give up?" she asked.

Troy closed his locker and narrowed his eyes at her. "Keep it."

"So you do give up," the brunette said.

"If I gave up, I would tell you what I meant with my question," Troy told her.

Gabriella cocked her head to one side and arched an eyebrow at him. "Then what do you call this?"

"An alternate way of winning," he said.

Gabriella nodded. "Or just giving up," she shrugged. Troy rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, am I pissing you off?"

"When don't you?" he hissed.

"Good," Gabriella smiled, satisfied. "Mission accomplished," she took the beanie out of her shirt and put it on.

"What?" Troy frowned at her.

The brunette didn't answer and just walked off, leaving a confused Troy behind, watching her go with his beanie on her head.

So…

She just wanted to piss him off?

The blue eyed teen shook his head. Apparently the lack of sleep made Gabriella crazier and weirder than usual. He looked at her once again and his eyes traveled down –damn those hips.

* * *

><p>Troy sighed as he placed his helmet on the entrance table next to the door. He looked up ahead and small smiled when he saw the stairs; just a few steps and he would be in his room. He longed for that silent time alone. But he also knew that he had to let Annie know that he was home. She would get worried if she thought that he was still out. And that wasn't convenient; stress and pregnancy hormones weren't a good combination.<p>

He placed his backpack at the bottom of the stairs to get it up to his room later, and then walked over to the kitchen. The smell of butter and garlic filled his nostrils as he pushed the swinging door open. He chuckled when he saw his cook dancing to the beat of a song that was playing on the radio, mouthing the lyrics as she placed a hand over her 5 month baby bump and moved the spaghetti around in the casserole. He didn't know if it was just because she was pregnant, but lately, she had turned on the radio while she cooked; it was not very usual in her.

Troy walked over to her and grabbed a slice of tomato of the plate that was next to her. "Pasta again?" he arched an eyebrow at the cook and she jumped surprised; she was also more jumpy, and distracted.

"Jesus Christ, Troy!" she exclaimed, turning off the radio and looking at him. "Do you want to give me a heart attack?"

"No, just scare you into labor," he joked and received a smack on the arm from his cook, making him chuckle.

"You're a jerk," she told him with a small glare. She turned back around and turned off the stove, seeing that the pasta was perfectly cooked.

"So, we're having pasta again?" the teen repeated as he went to grab another slice of tomato, having finished the first one. Annie slapped his hand away with the wooden spoon she was using to move the spaghetti around. "Ow!"

"Yes, we are," she answered him about the pasta. "And stop eating the tomato, that's for the salad."

"Bitch," he murmured, rubbing his hand. Annie glared at him.

"Excuse me?" she exclaimed.

"I called you a witch," he lied, still rubbing his hand.

"Uh-huh," she nodded her head sarcastically. "That's what I thought," then she hit him again with the wooden spoon on the arm.

"Ow!"

She hit him on the stomach. "Rude-ass!"

"Annie!" he frowned.

"Oh, do not complain, Troy Alexander," she glared at him. "Let's see if you call me a bitch again," Troy rolled his eyes. Damn her and her pregnancy hormones. He added 'more motherly' to the list of aspects in which Annie had changed due to her pregnancy.

"Sorry," he grumbled. Annie only shook her head at him and walked over to the fridge to take out a ball of lettuce. "Anyhow, I just wanted to let you know that I was home," he said. "I'm going to be upstairs."

"Doing what?" she asked, walking back to her chopping board and cutting the lettuce.

"Sleeping," he said. "I'm tired."

"Tired of what?" she asked.

He arched an eyebrow at her; grumpy much? "Of School?"

"Yeah, well dinner will be ready in about 10 minutes, so," she shrugged, grabbing a bowl from the cupboard next to her and placing the lettuce in there. "I see no use of a 10 minute nap. Wait till after dinner."

Troy rolled his eyes. "Fine," he grumbled, sitting down on one of the tall chairs of the kitchen island. Jeez, she was having one of her mood swings; she was happily dancing a moment ago, and now she was... not so happy.

Annie continued preparing the salad in silence; that boy should really learn to not call a pregnant woman a bitch. He just ruined her happy mood. The cook sighed as she filled the bowl that had the lettuce with tap water and then placed a couple of drops of vegetable disinfectant; the water turned slightly yellow.

She turned around and wiped her hands with the dishcloth that was tucked between her apron and her waist. "How was school?" she asked, deciding to let go of her grumpiness and start a conversation with the teen while the lettuce got disinfected.

Troy shrugged. "Boring."

"I see," she said, walking up to the boy and sitting next to him. "And boring means…?"

"Same old shit," he said, looking up to her. Yes, definitely mood swings.

Annie nodded and bit her lip. "You're not mad at me anymore?" she asked.

Troy sighed and shrugged again. "I guess not," he said, looking down to the granite counter. The cook lifted her eyebrows at him.

"Really?"

"Really," he said, staring up ahead to the swinging door leading to the dining room. "You do shit like that all time," he explained, making the 34 year old brunette frown. "Plus, I got a lot of crap going on in my head at the moment; I don't have time to be mad at you for something stupid," he said, turning his head to her. "But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't learn how to respect my privacy," he gave her a look.

The cook smiled. "Again, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, it' fine," the mumbled, sighing.

Annie grimaced as she stared at his tired face. "Do you want to talk about some of that crap going on in your head?"

"Not really," he mumbled, rubbing his face. Annie bumped his shoulder with hers and he looked at her.

"Troy, I told you, you can tell me anything," she reminded him, but he just shook his head. Annie frowned and pursed her lips thoughtfully. "It has to do with Gabriella, doesn't it?" Troy sighed and groaned, making the brunette know that she was right. She nodded.

"Things got weird between you two?" she asked.

"No," he shook his head. "Things continued being as normal as always," well, _their _kind of normal, anyway; their relationship –or whatever they had– was everything but normal.

Annie frowned. "And that's not great news because…?" she let the question open.

"Because I would rather have her stay away as far as possible," Troy said.

The cook blinked, shocked. She knew that at the beginning Troy was pushing Gabriella away like he did with everyone and everything else. But, after what she saw in the living room the day before, she thought that Troy was finally letting his walls tumble down. She thought that he finally had given up on that stupid idea of being a loner and had decided to give Gabriella a chance. Her stomach sunk to her feet; she thought that he had finally decided to ignore his father about the whole not-deserving-to-be-happy-shit.

Troy rolled his eyes at her. "Annie, don't act so shocked, you know how I think."

"I do," she said, frowning. "I just… I just thought that…" she struggled with the words. She shook her head. "Troy," she placed her hand over his. "I've told you before; you _do_ deserve to be happy."

Troy pulled his hand away and shook his head, letting out an exasperated sigh. He frowned. "Please, don't start."

"Start what?" she demanded. "Telling you the truth? Oh, because I am!" she said. "Your father is an asshole and he's wrong!"

Troy scoffed and stood up. "He's not wrong, Annie."

"He is!" she stood up to. "You have all the right to be happy! And if Gabriella-."

"Gabriella is a great girl," Troy cut her off. "She's… she's… she's great," he sighed. "I'm not gonna drag her down to the hell I'm living in."

"Troy! Listen to-," Annie tried to speak.

"No, Annie!" he shook his head at her. "You listen! I'm a messed up shit, and I think that you know that! I'm rude, I'm an asshole, I don't know how to treat women! Hell, I'm a fucking murderer!" he yelled, not having noticed what he just said; Annie frowned at his words. "I do not deserve to be happy! I don't even deserve to have you care for me, Annie! I've told you! And I don't deserve someone like Gabriella!"

"Troy-," she tried again.

He shook his head, not letting her talk yet. "Everything, Annie, when everything seems to get better, it's just another door that slams closed on my face! When you told me that I could trust you, my dad showed up and reminded me of how much of a insignificant slug I am; isn't that a sign?" he shook his head at her, frowning, trying to keep his serious expression on, but Annie was able to see the vulnerability in his eyes, even if he was trying to keep it in the dark too. "What if Gabriella is the same? What if she's another one of those doors that will just slam shut? Just another door that will mock me, saying that I thought that I deserved her, when in reality I just deserve to rot in hell and then die without-," he stopped when Annie smacked him on the face. Troy looked at her shocked, placing his hand over his pounding cheek.

"You, Troy Bolton, SHUT UP!" she yelled back at him, starting to cry. "Shut the _hell_ up! Don't you ever talk about yourself like that again, do you hear me?" she poked him on the chest with her pointer finger. Troy stared down at her with absolutely no idea what to say. She wiped her tears. "And now you let me talk! So sit down, and fucking listen to me!" she yelled, pointing to a little bench that helped Annie reach the higher cupboards.

"Annie-."

"SHUT UP AND SIT THE FUCK DOWN!" she yelled at him and Troy jumped back, startled, before doing as he was told. He looked up at her. Annie took a deep breath, trying to keep herself from crying harder; it was hard to keep a hold of her emotions when the hormones were making their homework. She stared down at Troy's unreadable expression –he didn't know what to feel with Annie's outburst.

"Yes, your father entered that day when I wanted you to open up to me," Annie started. "And yes, he prevented it from happening at that time. But don't you see what's happening right now?" she questioned him. "You are opening up to me, Mister!" she said and Troy frowned in realization. "So he may have interrupted us four months ago, but that didn't stop you now to say what you're feeling! So no! Not everything is a door slamming shut on your face, mocking you!" she exclaimed. "Because, even if you won't tell me anything sometimes, even when you believe you can't be happy, you _have_ me! _I'm_ not a slamming door! And I'll always be here no matter if you tell me what happened between your father and you or not!" she said with tears starting to flow down her face again. "I understand your fear, Troy. But in life sometimes you have to risk things. Gabriella won't be a slamming door," she assured him. "Just-."

"How do you know?" Troy asked her, cutting her off. "How do you know she won't be another slamming door?"

Annie stared at him and frowned. "How do I know?" she turned around and walked to the kitchen island, Troy staring at her warily. She grabbed her purse that laid on one of the tall chairs and took her cell phone out. She walked back to Troy as she searched for something on her phone. Once she found the picture she took the day before, she showed it to Troy. He frowned, taking the phone.

"Look at her face, Troy," Annie said, sniffling. "But _really _look at her face."

Annie watched as Troy examined the picture. "She's smiling," he mumbled. _And blushing_, he thought.

"Not just that," she told him. "The way she was looking at you. Yesterday, when you left to take Gabriella to her house, I stood here in the kitchen just looking at the picture," she said, sniffling again. "If I didn't know that you two barely knew each other, I'd say that she looks _in love_."

Troy looked up at her. "That's ridiculous," he said, shaking his head at her.

"Is it?" she questioned him.

"She can't be in love with me!" Troy argued. "This is not the XV century, Annie; she doesn't even know my middle name!"

Annie grimaced. "Okay, maybe not in love," she agreed. "But she definitely cares about you," Troy huffed. "And you look happy in there, too," the brunette continued to say, motioning to the picture on the phone with her head.

Troy sighed. "So, I'm supposed to let her win just like that?" he grumbled. "I told her I wouldn't let her."

Annie sniffled and smiled down at the teen. "Troy, men are supposed to let women win," she told him. "It's less exhausting."

Troy scoffed. "If women weren't so stubborn then maybe it wouldn't be so exhausting."

"Exactly my point," Annie said.

* * *

><p>It was 8:30 PM at night and Gabriella was closing the door behind her as she just got home from work. She longed for her bed. She dropped her stuff by the door and walked over to her father's office, dragging her feet and groaning tiredly. Fuck homework, she would do it in homeroom. When she reached for the doorknob, she heard two manly chuckles coming from the inside. She frowned and opened the door.<p>

"Dad?" she asked. The two chuckles quieted down and Gabriella's eyes widened when she saw the person who owned the other laugh.

"Hey, little rat!" the young man greeted the brunette.

"Tommy!" Gabriella grinned and jogged up to hug her older brother once he stood up. Tom chuckled as he patted her back.

"Yeah, yeah," he smiled and Gabriella pulled away. "I missed you too."

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Can't a guy visit his father and little sister?"

Gabriella arched an eyebrow at him and gave him a look. "No, seriously, what are you doing here?"

Tom rolled his eyes. "Oh, fuck it, then," he said, making the brunette giggle. Greg shook his head at his kids; ten years apart, but they always got along fine. He stood up from his chair and walked over to them.

"How was your day?" he asked his daughter as he kissed her forehead. He frowned, noticing that his daughter was wearing a beanie; she wasn't wearing it that morning. At least he didn't remember.

"Tiring, but well," she said with a small smile.

He nodded. "And that beanie?" he asked.

"What?" she frowned.

Tom rolled his eyes. "You know, the grey thing you are wearing on your head? People usually wear them when there's cold weather or when they didn't wash their hair?" he questioned mockingly.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, her hand flying to her head. "The beanie! Right! Forgot I was wearing it," she said. "I stole it from Troy."

"Ah," Greg nodded.

"Troy?" Tom arched a suggestive eyebrow at his sister and smirked. Gabriella blushed.

"He's a boy who happens to be Gabby's partner on an extracurricular project," Greg explained to his son.

"He's a friend," Gabriella added, giving her brother a look, warning him to not make any comments about it.

"Okay, I get it," he said, but wiggled his eyebrows at his sister anyway. "So, he's not your fuck toy?"

"My God!" Greg frowned at his son while Gabriella gaped at him and blushed.

"No, Thomas, he is not!" she glared at him. "Jeez, not even five minutes of meeting again, and you're already making your sick commentaries."

Tom laughed. "I wouldn't be an older brother if I didn't, little rat," he patted her cheek and she glared at him, pushing his hand away.

* * *

><p>Troy sat on his bed, turning Gabriella's heart locket between his fingers as he thought about what Annie had said to him. He hated to admit that she was right. How could he know that Gabriella was going to be another slamming door, if he didn't give her a chance? It was easy to just give in, but somehow he was still hesitating about it. He also kept thinking that he didn't deserve to have someone as good as Gabriella.<p>

But, Annie had stayed. With all the yelling, fighting, cursing, insulting, and everything else that had happened, she still stayed. Did that mean that he deserved to have Annie? She still didn't know that he was murderer. Would she leave if he ever told her? What would she think? Would she then say that he did deserve to be miserable?

And what would happen if he told Gabriella? She has known him for less time; it would be easier for her to turn around and walk away.

He sighed. _In life you have to risk things. _That's what Annie had said. And she wasn't wrong. If you don't risk anything, you don't win anything. Should he risk it? What was the worst thing that could happen? She would leave. Probably not ever talk to him again. But the real question was –would he be able to handle it? He had taken so many punches and kicks from life, and he had dealt with horrible pains; yet he was still standing. The thing was that he didn't really know that if he took another punch, he would still stand. Or get back up if he did fall, for that matter.

Troy thought about the phrase that was inside Gabriella's heart locket. _The person who has fallen and gotten back up is greater than the one who hasn't fallen yet. _

Was he also greater?

He suddenly small smiled as a small memory of his mom crossed his mind.

"_Mom, I can't," a seven year old Troy whined, tears flowing down his cheeks as he rubbed his scratched arm. It was the 7__th__ time that he had fallen down from the bike. _

_Lucille Bolton sighed and picked her son up from the ground and accommodated his helmet. "Yes, you can," she told him, also picking the bike back up. "Try again."_

"_I'll fall!" he whined. "And my arm hurts!"_

_She stroked his face with her hand. "Honey, if you think you'll fall, then you will," she told him. "So don't think about it and just do it. Besides, if you fall 8 times, then get up 9 times," she winked at him and Troy sniffled. "Come on, make mama proud. Don't give up." _

_The young boy sniffled again and nodded. "Alright, mom." _

He sighed. Even back then, his father was almost never around. It was his mom who taught him how to ride a bike.

"You're right mom," Troy mumbled to himself. "I'll just get up a ninth time."

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Hey guys. **

**Sorry for the wait, but I hope that you had enjoyed this chapter. I personally hate it. xD**

**Anyway, I was having a huge writer's block, and I had to re-write this chapter three times. I can't even concentrate on my book! You know how horrible that is? Anyway… maybe I'll take a break and read a couple of books (I got five to read) , maybe that'll get me inspired. xD **

**What do you think? Will Troy finally let his walls tumble? You think Annie and the memory of his mom convinced him? The poor thing is scared. I don't blame him, really, everything has been shitty for the kid. **

**And about the Jack scene, I just wanted you to show another side of the violent Jack. What he really thinks about Troy and how he thinks of his wife.**

**Well, I finished this chapter early, but couldn't upload it until now cuz I was getting my nails done for my prom tomorrow ;) wish me luck! **

**I love you guys! I'll try to update the next chapter as soon as possible! **

**Please don't forget to leave a review behind! You think we can reach 200 on this chapter? **

**Lots of love,**

**Mary. **

**P.S: SORRY FOR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING MISTAKES! **


	16. Different

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter fifteen_

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**! **

**The thing about why Tom never helped Greg with the money thingy is on chapter 4 Coffee Shop. **

**LAST CHAPTER: Gabriella confronted Troy about his "who are you?"question, but you know he didn't oblige. She stole his beanie just to piss him off. Jack visited Lucille at the graveyard to ask for her blessing to date Lydia. Annie slapped some sense into Troy and convinced him to give Gabriella a chance.**

* * *

><p><em>I'm a messed up shit, and I think that you know that! I'm rude, I'm an asshole, I don't know how to treat women! Hell, I'm a fucking murderer!<em>

Annie kept on thinking about those words as she hung her coat in the closet of the entrance of the Bolton household. It was 8:30 AM, the hour that she usually arrived. His words just didn't make any sense to her. Why would he call himself a murderer? He wouldn't kill anyone. Sure, he had a bad temper, and was kind of an asshole, but, he wasn't a murderer. She knew him; he wasn't a murderer, she was sure of it. But why would he say that? Annie sighed as she made her way to the kitchen. It wasn't like she could ask him; it was Troy who she was talking about. The only thing she could do was to wait for him to tell her himself.

The cook put her apron on and tied her hair into a pony tail. She frowned as she thought of something –what if… what if it had something to do with the thing that he was afraid to tell her? The thing that had happened between him and his dad. He said so himself four months ago; he wanted to tell her, but he was afraid. Had Troy killed someone?

_No_. She shook her head. She was being paranoid. Maybe it was just her hormones. Maybe he didn't say murderer; maybe she misheard him.

She bit her lower lip. No, yeah, she misheard him, that was the only explanation. Her Troy wasn't a murderer. She refused to believe it.

* * *

><p>Troy parked his motorcycle on his usual spot right outside of East High's building and took off his helmet. He had a lot going on in his head that he didn't even notice the small group of girls giggling and waving at him which he usually just ignored. No, all his thoughts were focused on a certain nosey and annoying brunette.<p>

This time he wasn't thinking how he was going to keep his distance, though. He was thinking how he was going to let his guard down. To be honest, he didn't know how to act without being his… asshole self. He didn't know how to come up to her and say a friendly 'hello' without looking like a complete bipolar douche. One day he acts like a jerk and then the next he's friendly and open? He cringed at the thought. Besides, he didn't really want to let Gabriella win their private battle. And it was just in his nature to not be open. Being distant, sarcastic, a jerk, and someone who finds it hard to express his thoughts and feelings, was simply who he was. The only place where he felt like he could actually be himself was in the graveyard, sitting in front of his mother's grave.

He wanted to give Gabriella a chance. He knew that if he wanted to know why she suddenly appeared in his life and if she had a _reason_ to stay –and if she _would_ stay without him feeling like he was tying her down– then he had to give her a chance. He had to know if she was for real.

The big question was –how to give her that chance? He just couldn't start being someone he wasn't. He just couldn't come up to her with a friendly 'hello'. He sighed.

But maybe he could start by being more passive; answering a couple of her questions –that he could actually allow himself to answer– and not being so sarcastic with everything.

Now that he thought about it, he was being paranoid. He didn't have to do it from evening to morning. He had to take his time. Like his mother used to say: One step at a time.

But what should his first step be?

* * *

><p>Gabriella twisted her mouth to a side as she searched around the cafeteria with her eyes. She had seen Troy at Biology and Chemistry, but she hadn't talked to him; it was like he was trying extra hard to ignore her. Those two times that she approached him, he acted like he didn't see her and walked away. And right at that moment in the cafeteria, he was nowhere to be found. She wondered what his hiding place was… and why was he hiding.<p>

She sighed as she spotted her table and waved when she saw Sharpay stand up and approach her. The brunette arched an eyebrow when the blonde took her by the wrists and pulled her to a side.

"Come, come, come," Sharpay whispered at her.

Gabriella gave her a weird smile as she stared at her strangely. "What's up?" she asked.

"Apparently, our dear friend Taylor invited Austin to our table, again!" she rolled her eyes. "So I'm just giving you a heads up."

"What!" Gabriella exclaimed, frowning. "Why!"

"I don't know!" she exclaimed too. "She's crazy!"

"But," the brunette shook her head. "What the hell? Weren't we past that?"

"Apparently not," Sharpay said.

Gabriella's frown deepened. "Wait, so… she knows that I don't like him, she knows what he did to me, and she… just asks him to sit with us again? Dude, Tay, how do I explain it to you?"

"I know!" the blonde agreed, crossing her arms. "But, for what I understood, apparently Austin talked to her yesterday after school and he said that he was very sorry and that he's really interested in you."

"Well, I don't give a fuck!" she yelled. "Ugh, I'm going to kill Taylor! Really, I'm going to kill her and I'm going to enjoy it!"

Sharpay grimaced. "Wouldn't blame you, really; Chad's really pissed at her," she told her. "If I were you, I wouldn't sit with us today."

"Oh, don't worry," Gabriella said. "I wasn't planning to, trust me! Oh, but Taylor's going to listen to me! She's crazy!"

"So, where are you going to sit?" Sharpay asked.

The brunette sighed. "Not with Troy, that's for sure. He isn't here, anyway."

"He disappears during lunch a lot, doesn't he?" Sharpay commented and Gabriella nodded. "Why don't you go look for him?"

The brunette arched an eyebrow at her. "Really, Shar?"

"What?" she frowned.

"I have no idea where to look for him, he's a great avoider," Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"Well," Sharpay shrugged. "With the little that you know him, where do you think he could be?"

"I don't know," Gabriella said. "The library, the football field, the parking lot…"

"Okay," the blonde smiled. "That's a start!" she took her by the shoulders and turned her towards the door. "Now flee and go search for the badass hottie."

"Badass hottie?" Gabriella repeated with a giggle and Sharpay rolled her eyes.

"Shut up and get out of here before Austin sees you!" she pushed her out the doors. "Now, good luck!" she yelled after her. "Text me when you find him!"

Gabriella shook her head with a smile while she rolled her brown orbs. "Crazy dumb," she mumbled to herself and sighed. She owed Sharpay big time. Seriously, she thought that Taylor was her friend! Was she stupid or something? I mean, she's in a lot of AP classes and yet, she couldn't figure out that having Austin at their table would make Gabriella feel really uncomfortable?

She really needed to have a word with her 'friend'.

The brunette accommodated her beanie over her head and made her way down the hallway. At least she could do what she really wanted to do –search for Troy.

Troy closed his locker after he grabbed his backpack, ready to leave to the graveyard. He had 45 long minutes and he wasn't hungry. He knew that he recently visited his mother the day before, but what else could he do? Besides, at that moment he really needed to talk to his mother.

The whole Gabriella situation seemed to have gotten the best out of him and he suddenly seemed to freak out when he was near her. He was more nervous than usual, and he needed to figure out why. It wasn't like it was a hard thing he needed to do, he just needed to stop blocking her.

He frowned. Everything was all fucked up. If he wanted to block her, he was nervous that she would penetrate his walls. And if he wanted to let his guard down, he was _still _nervous!

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" he mumbled to himself as he shook his head.

"I don't know, that's what I would like to figure out since you've been avoiding me extra hard today," a voice said behind him, making him turn around. He groaned when he saw Gabriella crossing her arms, with a raised eyebrow and _his_ beanie on her head; she's been wearing that since yesterday! From all people, she was the one who had to appear; the person who was making him go insane.

"I haven't been avoiding you," he grumbled. "I was actually wondering why you haven't pissed me off, today."

"Right," Gabriella nodded, taking a step forward. "You've been avoiding me, Cinnamon Roll; don't act like you haven't, because I know you."

Troy glared at her. "Shouldn't you be at lunch?"

"Shouldn't _you_ be at lunch?" she asked back with her annoying teasing smirk. He rolled his eyes and began walking away from her; Gabriella followed close behind just like he predicted she would.

"What do you want?" he asked when he saw that she had caught up with him.

"Nothing," the brunette shrugged. "Just wanted to know where you were," she said.

"Why?" he asked, fighting the smile that wanted to appear.

Gabriella shrugged again. "Just because."

"Right," Troy nodded and looked down at her with an arched eyebrow, telling her that he didn't believe her. Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"Also because my dear friend Taylor, for some sort of stupid reason, decided to invite Austin Hobbs to our table again and I'm not really in the mood to be dealing with assholes," she said. "Well, besides you," she joked.

"Funny," Troy said with a hint of a smile on his lips, but then looked at her with a frown. "So Taylor invited him just because?"

Gabriella sighed. "Well, apparently he talked to her yesterday and said that he was very sorry and that he was very interested in me," she rolled her eyes. "Like I would give a fuck about him! But anyway, I imagine that since Taylor doesn't like it that I'm spending so much time with you, she wanted to set me up with him again."

Troy's frowned deepened. "Wait. _Again_?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Gabriella said, faking surprise as a way of showing sarcasm and annoyance. "Taylor's the reason why Austin began stalking me in the first place."

"Hm," Troy mumbled thoughtfully, still frowning.

"Yup," the brunette nodded. "So instead of dealing with an asshole I don't like, I decided to deal with an asshole that I do like," she said.

"I'm flattered," Troy said, sarcastically, making Gabriella smile. "So that douche bag is just going to be sitting at your table, now?"

"I don't know," Gabriella shrugged. "Most likely."

Troy didn't like that. He didn't want Austin Hobbs to be hovering and stalking his Gabriella. He wasn't going to let that happen.

"You're sitting with me," Troy ordered.

"What?" Gabriella frowned.

"Austin is a freaking imbecile, and I don't want to be saving your ass every time that that idiot decides to get aggressive," Troy told her. "You're sitting with me during lunch."

The brunette stared at him. "Okay, you don't need to get all bossy."

Troy came to a halt and seconds later, when Gabriella noticed, so did she. She frowned confused and Troy took a step towards her.

"I'm not being bossy," he told her. "But that's my offer, so take it or leave it."

The brunette stared at him for a moment, tilting her head to a side. Then a wide smirk spread across her face and Troy rolled his eyes.

"Someone's getting protective over me," she accused him.

"Oh my God," he grumbled. "Gabriella, just…take it or leave it."

Gabriella smiled. "I'll take it."

Troy nodded and then looked over to his left; the school's front door was just a couple steps away from them. He sighed. He couldn't leave now.

"Let's go back to the cafeteria," he said, turning around and walking in the opposite direction.

Gabriella frowned at him. "What? Whoa, wait!" she said as she jogged after him. "Weren't you going to go somewhere else? Like, your hiding place?"

"My hiding place?" he arched an eyebrow at her with a humored smile. "I don't have a hiding place, Cupcake."

"Then where do you go when you disappear at lunch?" she asked.

"That's for me to know only," he mumbled. His mom: not a subject he wanted to touch with Gabriella just yet. Preferably never. The brunette rolled her eyes –typical Troy.

"Alright, you know I'll still get it out of you sooner or later," she said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Waste of time," Troy reminded her; though he wasn't so sure now. Gabriella smiled at him and then they both continued walking without saying anything more.

As they walked into the cafeteria, Gabriella's eyes met with Sharpay's and she smiled. Sharpay gave her a 'thumbs up' and the brunette rolled her eyes and shook her head. Then her eyes met Austin's; he looked confused and a little shocked, but most of all, he looked angry. Gabriella had to be honest, his gaze did intimidate her a bit, but she tried to keep it cool and look like she wasn't affected by him at all. Without noticing, she moved closer to Troy.

The blue eyed teen was occupied keeping his gaze up ahead as they both walked towards the lunch line, trying to ignore some of the looks that they were getting from the people in the cafeteria. But he soon looked down to the brunette next to him when he noticed that she began brushing her shoulder up against his. He frowned for a moment, seeing that she was looking somewhere else; he followed her gaze and his eyes posed on a tense Austin. Unlike Gabriella, he didn't feel intimidated, he actually felt like laughing –he looked so pathetic. Without giving it a second thought, he took Gabriella's hand in his, intertwining their fingers. The brunette snapped out of her trance as she gave a little jump at the unexpected touch, and redirected her eyes up to Troy. What was he doing? But Troy wasn't looking at her; he was looking at Austin, and he began chuckling when his green eyes darkened with fury and turned to yell at Taylor. Jealous Austin was fun.

Maybe stopping battling with his feeling wasn't so bad; if he was still trying to keep his walls up, then he wouldn't have had the guts to hold her hand and would've had to find another way to piss Austin off. It was easier when he didn't have to be certain that he was overstepping the limits. And he had to admit it; it felt amazing just to be holding her hand.

"Are you okay?" Gabriella asked him, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"What?"

"Do you have a fever? Are you sick?" she continued to ask as she placed her free hand over his forehead. He gave her a funny look as she dropped her hand.

"No?"

"Then why on earth are you holding my hand?" _Not that I complain_. She thought. "The Troy I know wouldn't do that," she frowned. "Who are you and what did you do with Troy?"

Troy rolled his eyes. "Gabriella, shut up," he said. "I'm just letting Austin know that he won't get anywhere near you."

"Right," Gabriella arched an eyebrow at him. "So you just grab my hand…"

"Have a better idea?" he asked her as they stepped at the end of the lunch line.

The brunette twisted her mouth to a side as she thought, but then she shook her head. "Not really, no."

After that, Gabriella didn't question him anymore and decided to enjoy the warmth of his hand and the feeling of his fingers between hers. She smiled a little as she caressed the back of his hand with her thumb. His hand felt so much better than she had ever imagined.

But as they grabbed their lunch and sat at Troy's usual table, she couldn't stop the train of thoughts from running. The thing that definitely caught her attention was the hand holding. That was definitely out of the ordinary; weird, Gabriella ventured to say. And the talking in the hallway. At the moment she hadn't thought about it, or noticed it for that matter, because he still had that cool and bored tone in his voice that made him seem distant like always; but now that she thought about it, he was actually having a conversation with her. He was _asking_, he was commenting…

Jeez! He told her to sit with him. Not even asked, _told_. Like if he actually cared. Gabriella knew he liked her, but she didn't know he _cared_.

She looked up from her salad and stared at Troy curiously. What had happened that made him chance?

* * *

><p>After the bell rang, signaling that the school day was over, Gabriella walked over to her locker to prepare her stuff for the afternoon. As she was placing her Algebra book into her backpack, her best friend leaned on the locker next to her.<p>

"So, is Troy finally giving in?" Chad asked casually.

Gabriella closed her locker. "Would you mind if I killed your girlfriend?" she asked back.

"Uh," he blinked.

"Can I at least torture her?"

"No," Chad chuckled.

"Too bad," the brunette mumbled and crossed her arms. "Seriously, what is her problem?"

"She just wants to help you, Gabs," he told her. "You know she hates Troy and thinks he's not good for you."

"Oh, so she thinks that pairing me up with an aggressive douche bag is better?" Gabriella scoffed.

"Uh," Chad pondered. "Apparently yes."

"Well, for being in a lot of AP classes, she's not very smart, is she?" she asked sarcastically and began making her way to East High's main door. Chad followed her.

"You have to understand her, Gabby," Chad pleaded for his girlfriend. "She may go a little too far with things at times, but trust me when I tell you that she has good intentions. She cares about you."

"And I care about her too, Chad," Gabriella said. "She's my friend and I love her. But I'm not going around nosing into her business and excusing myself saying that I do it because 'I care about her'. It's wrong!"

"Well, then I guess you should talk to her," Chad shrugged. Gabriella rolled her eyes; typical simple male mind.

"I have!" the brunette exclaimed. "I have talked to her but she doesn't listen! She's too damn stubborn. And you know I'm not a very patient person and she's going to hear me out!" she said. "I'm sorry, Chad. She's your girlfriend and you love her, but she's a bitch!"

"Uh, it's okay?" he asked more than stated.

Gabriella sighed. "I'm sorry; she just… really pissed me off today."

"I know," Chad said, passing an arm around her shoulders.

Once the two friends exited the school, Gabriella immediately spotted Troy waiting for her right next to his motorcycle. She looked up at Chad and he smiled.

"Don't take it too personal, Gabs," he told her. "If it helps, I gave her a piece of my mind right after lunch."

"It doesn't," she mumbled and he chuckled.

"Well, at least you got to hang out with Troy more," he smirked at her. "So if you look at it this way, Taylor's plan turned the exact opposite of what she wanted."

Gabriella small smiled at him. "That does help a little."

"See?" he winked at her and Gabriella's smile grew wider.

"You're awesome, Chad," she told him. "Did you know that?"

He shrugged. "So I've been told," he smirked at her again and Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, okay, whatever," she sighed and looked back over to where Troy was. "I'll see you later?"

"Of course," Chad nodded. "We're still hanging out on Saturday, right?"

"Sure," Gabriella smiled.

"Perfect," Chad took his arm off of the brunette's shoulders. "Because you have to tell me how and why he grabbed your hand!"

She gave him a funny look. "Okay, girlfriend."

"Oh shut up! You can't blame me! Everybody's gossiping about it!"

"Bye, Chad," Gabriella rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Took you long enough," Troy said once the brunette stood in front of him. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention," Gabriella said sarcastically and Troy chuckled. He took his helmet from the motorcycle's seat and handed it over to her.

"Got everything with you?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded, taking the helmet from him. "You know? Maybe I should start saving to buy myself a helmet; you can't keep on giving me yours."

Troy rolled his eyes. "We're not going to crash, Cupcake, hence, I don't need a helmet," he told her. "So shut up and take mine."

"Still, it's precaution!" she insisted. "If not, then why did you buy a helmet in the first place?"

"I didn't," he said. "It was a Christmas present along with the motorcycle."

Gabriella gave him a look. "Well, then, when you're not driving me around, why do you wear it if you say you're not going to crash? And if we're not going to crash, then I don't need a helmet either."

"You always have to argue about everything, don't you?" Troy crossed his arms and the brunette shrugged with a smirk.

"Only when I have a point," she said. "But sometimes just to piss you off," she joked.

"Well, that isn't a secret," he said. Gabriella laughed and Troy couldn't help but smile at her and let out a small chuckle.

"Yeah, you're probably right," the brunette agreed. "But I still have a good point."

"No, you don't," Troy shook his head at her. "I wear it because I would look like a complete moron driving around in a motorcycle without a helmet."

Gabriella laughed again. "And how do you think you look like when you're driving with me?"

"Like a gentleman," he told her, simply.

"You look like a moron," Gabriella said.

Troy glared at her. "Well, you look like a mushroom when you're wearing my helmet."

Gabriella gaped at him. "Well…" she opened and closed her mouth, trying to find a smartass comment to say back. Troy chuckled.

"Can't think of anything, Cupcake?" he smirked.

The brunette narrowed her eyes. "Give me a minute!" she said and Troy laughed again.

"Alright!" he gave her a mocking smile and the brunette punched him on the shoulder.

"Stop making fun of me!" she exclaimed. "Oh! And you smell like a pig's ass!" she stated proudly in a joking way.

"Smart, Cupcake," Troy nodded 'approvingly'. She hit him on the shoulder again and this time, Troy frowned, rubbing his shoulder. "Stop it!"

"Well, you're a jackass!" she stuck her tongue out at him and Troy rolled his eyes.

Tom Montez drove into East High's parking lot, happily, knowing that his sister's bus hadn't taken off yet. She was going to be very surprised to see him there. His father had told him that Gabriella had to sell her car to help him buy his medicines, so she was taking the bus everyday to school, to work and then back home; and since he was staying with them for a few weeks, he decided to help his little sister.

He found a spot underneath a tree and then turned off his car before he got out. Tom was a very handsome man, so it was no surprise that girls were elbowing each other and turning their heads to look at him. He took off his shades and looked around, trying to spot his sister. When he did, he didn't like what he saw. Gabriella, his little sister, his 17 year old little sister, was holding a helmet underneath her arm as she talked to some guy next to a black motorcycle. And the worst of all, she was laughing. He frowned as he set the alarm to his car and walked towards the couple.

"Very mature, Cupcake," Troy said as he pushed himself off of his motorcycle. "Now, unless you want to be late for work, let's get moving."

Someone cleared their throat next to them and both of them turned to look at the person. Gabriella's eyes widened while Troy just stared at the person; he recognized him from the picture of Gabriella's heart locket.

"Tom," Gabriella said, shocked to see him there. "Hi, uhm, hi, what are you doing here?"

The 27 year old frowned as he crossed his arms. "Just came to see if my little sister needed a ride to work," he said. "But I see that she's kind of busy," he looked at the blue eyed boy with an analyzing gaze, as if trying to decipher who he was and why he was talking to his sister. One would say that by being almost 30 years old, he would be more mature and would give his sister more space, not being so overprotective or annoying, but… well, older brothers are older brothers here and on Mars.

He took his hand out for Troy to shake. "Hi, I'm Tom, Gabriella's brother."

Troy took his hand and gave it a firm shake. "Troy," he said.

"Troy," Tom repeated with a nod. Then he blinked in realization. "Oh, wait," he turned to look at Gabriella. "_The_ Troy?"

Troy also turned to look at the brunette, who started blushing, and arched an eyebrow at her, repeating the question with his eyes and a cocky smirk. Had Gabriella been talking about him?

Gabriella cleared her throat. "Yes, Tom, _the _Troy," she said and gave her brother a look, the _do-not-say-any-perverted-comments-or-you'll-be-sorry_ kind of look.

Tom, of course, ignored his sister and smirked. "The one you say he's not your fuck toy?" he asked and Gabriella gaped at him with her cheeks burning red in embarrassment; Troy coughed awkwardly.

"Thomas!" Gabriella exclaimed. "Shut up!"

Troy cleared his throat. "Wow," he muttered to himself.

"What?" Tom smiled at his sister with an evil glint in his eyes.

Gabriella shook her head at him and turned to look at Troy, raising her pointer finger as if asking for a minute alone with her brother. The blue eyed teen nodded and Gabriella took her brother by the arm and pulled him away.

"What the hell is your problem?" Gabriella asked.

"My problem?" Tom frowned. "You're the one talking to some punk next to a motorcycle while holding a helmet under your arm!" he exclaimed, pointing to Troy's helmet resting between Gabriella's hip and arm.

"Troy's not a punk!" Gabriella defended him. "He's been nothing but kind with me," _Most of the times, at least_. She thought. "And so what if he owns a motorcycle?"

"Those things aren't fucking safe!" her brother exclaimed. "You're not getting onto that shit, you hear me, Gabriella?"

She rolled her eyes. "I wasn't asking for your permission," she said. "Plus, he's been taking me to work for almost two weeks now. It's not the first time that I get onto that 'shit'."

Tom glared at her. "Do not fuck with me," he snarled. "Does dad know about this? Because if he doesn't, I'm telling him!"

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Tell him."

"Oh I will!"

"Fine!" with that Gabriella turned around and stormed back to where Troy was, Tom following close behind. No, it wasn't over.

"Is this thing safe?" Tom asked, crossing his arms and looking directly at Troy.

"Tom!" Gabriella yelled at him, but he ignored her.

Troy nodded his head. "Yes."

"I only see one helmet, where's the other one?" he asked.

"I only have one."

Tom glared at him. "Oh really?" he asked sarcastically. "So you're just driving her around unprotected?"

Gabriella opened her mouth to protest, but Troy spoke first as he frowned at the brunette's brother. "No," he told him, seriously. "She's been using mine."

"So the driver's not wearing a helmet," Tom repeated. "That's not very responsible of you."

Troy continued to frown at the brown eyed boy. "I care more for her safety than my own, how's that not being responsible?" Gabriella's heart fluttered at his words and she small smiled up at him.

Tom glared at him. "Watch your mouth," he warned him.

"Tom..." Gabriella frowned.

"You better take care of her, you hear me?" Tom said. "I don't like this whole motorcycle thing since most accidents happen because of them. If she comes home with just a little scratch, as tiny as it is, you'll be hearing from me."

Troy nodded at him once. "Okay."

Tom huffed and turned to look at his sister. "And I'm telling dad about this!"

"I know, Tom, you already said it!" the brunette rolled her eyes. "Now leave!"

* * *

><p>It was already 6:30PM and Troy and Gabriella were entering Troy's house. The smell of melted cheese filled the air and Troy rolled his eyes; Annie had been obsessed with cheese and pasta recently; it was one of her weird cravings. Two weeks ago it was baked carrots with mayonnaise. And since she was the cook, Troy had to eat whatever she ate.<p>

Gabriella sighed tiredly as she placed Troy's helmet over the entrance table. "I'm sorry about my brother."

"I know, Cupcake, you've said it like a thousand times, already," the blue eyed teen said and turned to Gabriella with a slight teasing smirk. The brunette stuck her tongue out at him and Troy chuckled.

"You're a jackass."

"You've also said that a thousand times."

Gabriella glared at him. "Funny," she imitated him with a mocking manly voice and started making her way to the living room. She didn't even take two steps, when Troy grabbed her by the collar of her shirt from behind and pulled her back.

"Hey!" the brunette exclaimed.

"Where do you think you're going?" Troy asked her.

Gabriella arched an eyebrow at him. "To the living room?"

He faked a laugh. "No," he shook his head. "After what happened on Monday, I don't think so."

"Well, where are we working then?" she asked.

"My room," he said.

"Your room," Gabriella repeated.

"My room," Troy nodded. "I'm not risking Annie taking any more pictures of us," he said. "Especially since you tend to do stupid things like asking me to dance."

"I said I was sorry!" Gabriella exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, well, your 'sorry' won't erase that picture from her phone, will it?" Troy arched an eyebrow at her and the brunette glared at him, punching him on the shoulder. "Stop punching me," Troy complained.

"Well stop trying to make me feel bad!"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not trying to make you feel bad."

"Of course!" she said sarcastically.

"I'm just making a point," Troy said.

"What point? That even if I say a thousand times that I'm sorry, you still will remind me of it, until the day I die?" the brunette arched an eyebrow at him and Troy rolled his eyes.

"Just move your ass upstairs," he said, grabbing her by the back of her neck and pushing her towards the dark brown wooden stairs.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Gabriella slapped his hand away. "Don't grab me like that! I know where the stairs are, thank you!"

Troy only rolled his eyes again once she turned around and began making her way up. He followed right behind her. When they reached the second story, Gabriella looked around to find a second living room. It was more like a TV room; it had a white leather couch, a crystal coffee table, a red-_ish_ brown rug and of course a flat screen accommodated on top of a table, right in front of the railing. At the back of the small living room, was a door, which Gabriella thought that was Troy's bedroom; that, of course changed when she saw that Troy continued his way to the other flight of stairs. She followed him up to what now was a hall with various doors.

Troy opened the second door on the right and motioned Gabriella, who was still standing right at the top of the stairs, to come closer with a move of his head. She nodded and walked up to him. With another motion of his hand, he invited her in.

"After you," he mumbled.

The brunette rolled her eyes and walked into the room, her brown orbs immediately roaming around with interest. His room wasn't a mess like she thought it would, but she quickly assumed that it was because Nicole and Isabel spend half of their day cleaning the house. She wondered if he cleaned his room when the maids where in vacations.

His room was big, like, really big. He had a king sized bed up against the wall on the left with a red quilt. His pillows were navy blue; like the color in his eyes when he was angry. Above the bed, there was a shelf with books and a small golden trophy with a small man going up to shoot a basket. Gabriella smirked a little; had Troy been a jock? She continued looking around. There were two beside tables flanking the bed; there was a red table lamp on each one, but there was a frame with a picture only on the left one. Next to the right bedside table, he had a bookshelf; Gabriella thought that it looked exactly like the one she had in her room. She small smiled. Next to the door there was a tall 8 drawer chest with a small stereo on top of it. Right in front of the bed, hanging on the opposite wall, was a big plasma screen; Gabriella rolled her eyes, thinking that the Bolton's had too many TV's. Underneath the TV, there was a small piece of furniture with doors on it. Next to it, at the left, was Troy's dark brown, almost black, desk with a white lamp. At the other side of the TV, was a white door, which Gabriella thought it was the bathroom. She frowned, feeling a little jealous; she wished she had her own bathroom.

While Gabriella was studying his room, Troy observed her every expression as he leaned against the doorframe. He had a small smile playing on his lips and an eyebrow arched as he observed how she smirked, how she smiled, how she frowned as if disapproving things, and how she continuously bit her lower lip. He chuckled, and it was it what brought Gabriella back to the real world. She turned to him.

"What?" she asked.

Troy shook his head. "Are you done?"

"Done with what?"

"Analyzing my room," Troy said, finally entering his bedroom and closing the door behind him. He dropped his backpack in front of his drawer chest and walked up to Gabriella, taking her backpack as well.

"I wasn't analyzing, I was observing!" the brunette pointed out.

"What's the difference?" Troy asked, dropping Gabriella's backpack next to his.

"You know, analyzing is like… looking at every detail, and observing is like… looking at details but not as intense."

Troy gave her a look and shook his head. "Shut up."

Gabriella laughed and went to sit over his bed.

* * *

><p>"Yes, with Lydia Frank please," Jack said into the phone as he leaned back on his leather chair and took a sip of his espresso coffee. He hadn't seen Lydia in two days and he was anxious to see her again. After yesterday, when he went to visit his wife, Lucille, at the graveyard, he wonder what he could do to make sure he knew that it was okay with her if he began dating another woman. So the first thing that he thought of was Troy. After all, even when he had killed her, Troy was Lucille's most precious treasure, and Jack knew that. So if his son liked Lydia, then maybe Lucille would too.<p>

"Hello?" Lydia's beautiful ringing voice sounded on the phone and it immediately brought a shiny smile on Jack's lips.

"Lydia, hey, it's Jack," he said.

"Jack, hi!" the sudden perk in her voice was noticeable. "How are you? I was wondering when you would call!"

"Yeah," he looked down. "I'm sorry, I've been busy. Work's been crazy."

The blonde sighed. "Tell me about it, my Logistics Director just quit and now I'm doing his job and looking for a new guy to take his place."

"Oh, that sounds horrible," Jack chuckled.

"Yeah," she agreed. "Anyway, what's up?"

Jack bit the inside of his cheek as he looked at Lucille's picture. "Yeah, I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner on Friday," he said.

"Of course!" Lydia exclaimed. "Where?"

"A-At my house," he stuttered nervously.

Lydia took a while to respond. "Your house?" she asked.

"Yes, well, I know it's a bit soon, but, well, I, well," he continued to stutter and then he sighed. No, yes, it sounded so damn stupid; they had just been going out for a couple of weeks, for God's sake! It _was_ too soon! But… he had to give it a shot. "My son wants to meet you," he lied.

"Oh?"

"Yes," he said. "I told him about you and… well, he wants to meet you."

"Oh!" she repeated. "Well, I-I, uhm," it was her turn to stutter. "I'm flattered, I, uhm, in that case, well, I think it's a good idea! Can I bring Terry with me?"

"Of course!" Jack smiled, feeling a little bit more relieved that she had accepted. "I actually wanted you to bring her; that was my main idea."

"Well, we'll be there," Lydia said.

"Great! It's a date, then," Jack smiled.

* * *

><p>After dinner, Troy sat at his desk chair as he looked over the samples and catalogues that they were looking at the day before for the Spring Ball's decorations. So far they had chosen table cloths, napkins, and balloon colors –which happened to be black and a weird mustard color that Troy didn't like at all, but Gabriella did. So the only thing left to choose was the invitation design.<p>

Gabriella was sitting over Troy's gigantic bed with her shoes long gone. She looked up at the blue eyed boy and turned the invitation sample in her hand for him to see. "What about this one?" she asked.

Troy looked up and shook his head. "I don't like it."

"Yeah, well, it's the same colors as the balloons, so…" Gabriella shrugged.

"It's fucking horrible," Troy mumbled and looked back down to his samples. "This one's better," he said as he showed her a black and red invitation.

"We need the invitation to combine with the theme!" Gabriella told him. "Black, yes; the red, not so much!"

"Who cares? No one will notice!" Troy rolled his eyes.

"_I _will notice," the brunette narrowed her eyes at him. "I say we go with the mustard one."

"Why don't we choose something more neutral like a white card?" Troy suggested with a grumble. "Not red nor mustard, something we both like."

Gabriella pursed her lips as she looked through her samples. "Something like this?" she asked, lifting a really simple white card with a golden frame and black writing on it. Troy looked at it and nodded.

"Yeah."

"Fine," the brunette nodded. "We'll go for this one. Happy now, Cinnamon Roll?"

Troy rolled his eyes. "Very, you made my dream come true," he grumbled sarcastically and Gabriella smiled at him.

"Glad I could help," she said and then sighed, checking the time on her phone that was lying next to her on the bed. "It's almost nine."

Troy nodded and stood up. "I'll get you home."

"It's okay, I can take the bus," the brunette said, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting on her shoes. "I don't want my brother to bite your head off again."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not scared of your brother," he said. "So I'm taking you home."

Gabriella stared at him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Now pick up your crap and let's go."

"Such a gentleman," the brunette rolled her eyes and stood up, picking up all the catalogues and samples and shoving them into her backpack.

After saying goodbye to Annie, the two teens got on their way. It was a quiet ride, like always, but this time, Troy didn't feel as tense as always, he actually felt relaxed, and it was something that Gabriella noticed as well.

Once they parked in front of her house, Gabriella took off her seatbelt. "So, on Friday we're gonna go check the restaurants of the list Jane and Kate gave us, right?"

Troy nodded. "Yes."

"Okay, well, I believe it's going to take us a while, so I'm going to ask Jerry to give me the day off so we can go right after school, sounds good?" Gabriella asked.

Troy nodded again. "Okay."

"Great," the brunette smiled and opened her door. She took her backpack and as she was about to step out, Troy noticed that she was leaving her sweater behind. He took it and looked up. What he forgot was the usual kiss that Gabriella gave him on the cheek, so it surprised him when she turned around to give him that kiss and ended up placing her lips over his. Both of their eyes widened and the brunette blushed profusely as they pulled away.

"I, uhm, I," she stuttered, her cheeks and neck burning red with embarrassment. "Sorry."

Troy just blinked. "You almost forgot your sweater," he mumbled, lifting it up.

"Right," she nodded and took it. "Thanks. Uh, uhm, see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," he repeated, clearing his throat and looking away.

Gabriella got out of the car, feeling strangely awkward. She definitely hadn't expected that to happen. Somehow it excited her, and somehow it made her feel uncomfortable. She bit her lower lip as she inserted her key into the keyhole and opened the door. She turned around and waved one last time at Troy like she always did before he drove off. She sighed and entered her house, closing the door behind her. She bit her lower lip. It had been a really interesting day.

"Motorcycle my ass, Thomas!" she suddenly heard her father say and looked up before shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

"Oh my God," she mumbled to herself as she left her backpack by the door and walked over to the living room.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!**

**I know it took forever and it was kind of boring! And I'm really sorry.**

**But well, here are my excuses:**

**Number one: the entire country apparently decided to apply for my college, so they ran out of spaces and raised the minimum of right answers of the admission exam to ridiculous numbers! Only the 10% of the students who applied got in, and I didn't. So I spent a whole bunch of time thinking what I wanted to do with my life, but to not make the story long, I decided to take the year off, take a course to get better on what I'm failing at (like math and such) and make a third try. You know what they say: the third one is a charm. (Or something like that? xD) **

**Number two: after I decided my future, I got into this weird depression. (I still don't know what it is about.) So I've just been lying around without wanting to read or write. **

**Number three: I re-wrote this chapter like 300 times (Not kidding). And I still continue to not like it. Though I worked hell hard because I wasn't inspired but I knew I couldn't keep you guys waiting. So I really hope you like it.**

**SORRY FOR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING MISTAKES! **

**Please leave a review behind!**

**Lots of Love,**

**Mary. **


	17. Lost Together

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Sixteen_

**Last Chapter: Troy starts to open up a bit. Taylor's an idiot who decided to get Austin's hopes up again and invited him to their lunch table. Troy didn't like it one bit, so he told Gabriella to sit with him during lunch. Troy met Gabriella's brother xD. They worked in Troy's room because he didn't want Annie spying on them. They shared an accidental kiss and when Gabriella got into her house, she found out her dad and brother were spying on her. "Motorcycle my ass, Thomas!" Remember? xD**

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**! **

* * *

><p>He couldn't believe she kissed him. Sure, it was an honest accident, and just a little peck that didn't last more than five seconds, but he still couldn't believe that she kissed him. But the fact was he didn't feel guilty like the last time they kissed. He just felt…<p>

He couldn't even describe how he was feeling.

Troy sighed as he walked through his front door and dropped his keys on the entrance table. He just hoped that he hadn't been too obvious with his 'sudden' change to make him look like a bipolar douche. He wanted to take one step at a time and not rush things.

He looked up and saw that Annie was staring at him with a tired smile, wearing her coat and her purse hanging over her shoulder. It looked like he caught her right before she left.

"Well, how were things?" she asked.

Troy nodded. "Good."

"Good," Annie repeated and took a step closer to Troy. "You weren't very talkative during dinner," she observed. The teen shrugged. "Didn't have much to share?"

"Not really since you kept talking and talking and talking," Troy said with a slight teasing smile.

Annie rolled her eyes. "Well I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven," he joked.

"Thank you," she said, sarcastically, and then checked her phone in her hand when it vibrated, indicating that she had received a text message.

"What is it?"

The cook sighed. "It's Luke, he's asking where I am," she looked up at Troy and rolled her eyes. "I better get going before he calls the cops," she joked with a smile.

"Okay," Troy nodded.

Annie stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Troy's waist, giving him a tight hug. Troy hugged her back as she rested her chin on his shoulder. She closed her eyes tightly. No, her Troy wasn't a murderer. She knew it.

They pulled back and Annie gave him a grin. "See you tomorrow, big boy."

Troy chuckled and nodded before he opened the door for her. "Bye, Annie," then he closed the door behind her and sighed, shaking his head. He made his way up to his room, determined to get a good night of sleep; after all, since the nightmares of his mother's death stopped two months ago and he didn't have to worry about getting too close to Gabriella, he didn't have much to worry about besides his father; who he hadn't seen since last Monday morning.

* * *

><p>"Gabriella, you're being overdramatic," Tom rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms. She glared down at her brother, who was sitting on the couch next to their father.<p>

"Overdramatic?" she growled. "You two were spying on me!"

"Honestly, honey, what did you expect us to do?" Greg asked.

"Yeah! He's a hot guy with a car!" Tom said and then looked at his father. "And I swear that a motorcycle as well! Gabriella, tell him!" he exclaimed and Greg rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the brunette lied, acting innocently, making her brother growl exasperatedly.

"I swear!" he exclaimed one more time.

"Yeah, whatever," Gabriella cut him off. "The thing is that you two can't be spying on me! I'm 17! Jeez, almost 18! I'm a woman and I know what I'm doing and I can take care of myself."

"No, you can't," Tom contradicted her and the brunette glared at him.

"Yes, I can!" she fought.

"Gabby, the thing is that you're our little girl," Greg said. "We just want to make sure you're safe. We don't want to see you heartbroken again."

"Dad, I was 14!" the brunette rolled her eyes. "Troy's nothing like Charlie! He's not looking to get into my pants, he's not three years older than me, and he's just my friend!"

"Now friends kiss on the mouth?" Tom arched an eyebrow at her. "Wow, the kids these days!" he exclaimed, sarcastically.

Gabriella blushed but narrowed her eyes at Tom. "It was an accident!" she shook her head. "But that's not even the point! I don't need to explain myself to you because I can do whatever the hell I want! It's my fucking life!" she said. "And you know what? No! Troy's just not my friend! I actually want something with him! And you two are ruining it!"

"How are we ruining it?" Tom rolled his eyes.

"For instance, you're ruining my illusion that someday he walks me to the door and gives me a goodnight kiss without worrying that you are spying and would activate the sprinklers!"

Greg and Tom chuckled. "That's not a bad idea," Greg nodded.

"GAH!" Gabriella growled at him. "I hate you! Both of you!"

"Why!" Tom exclaimed chuckling, acting like if he didn't know why his sister was so mad.

"I JUST DO!" the brunette yelled. "You two are going to stop spying on me and that's final!" she then stormed out of the living room and stomped up the stairs. Greg and Tom both winced when they heard her door slam closed.

"That went well," Greg said.

"Yeah," Tom nodded and then looked at his dad. "I'm hungry. Want a sandwich?"

"Okay," Greg said. The two Montez men stood up and made their way to the kitchen.

Gabriella took off her shirt and threw it into her dirty clothes basket. "Ugh!" she complained as she also took off her bra and walked over to her bed, where her light blue PJ's, with little clouds, were neatly folded on top. She took the shirt and put it on before she took off her jeans and replaced them with her pajama bottoms.

She couldn't believe her dad and brother. How could they be so shallow? Moments like these were the ones when she wished she had a mother that would back her up. Someone that understood what it was like to like a boy and someone who gave her advice when she needed it. But no, she was raised by men, treated like a boy, overprotected, not taken seriously, and ignored when she was trying to give her point. It had its good side of course; she knew how to fight and how to defend herself, how to read men, and understand every comment with a double meaning.

But she still wished to have someone who she could talk to about boys and her period and cramps and other things that her father or brother would get grossed out by. Hell, when Gabriella first got her period at 13, her father had his secretary, Cleo, give her the whole… _talk_. And yes, that included the sex talk too. She had a second sex talk (also given by Cleo) when she was 14 and met Charlie.

Charlie was Gabriella's first love. He was 17 and she met him at the park. They used to live at the west side of Albuquerque before they moved, so after he broke her heart, Gabriella never saw him again. Of course the guy would never look at a 14 year old girl like Gabby seriously. He only saw her as a chance to get laid. One time when Thomas was at college and Greg at work, Charlie appeared at her doorstep. But Gabriella, even though she was head over heels in love with him, was smarter. She kicked him in the nuts and, luckily, Tom got home at that moment, so he helped his little sister kick him out.

The brunette sighed as she brushed her teeth. Okay, maybe she did understand why Tom and her dad were so overprotective. But she was 17 now; she was wiser, stronger and smarter. And she knew that Troy was nothing like Charlie.

"Hell, Austin is the one who's like Charlie," she commented to herself before she continued brushing her teeth.

* * *

><p><em>Troy picked up the basketball between his hands. He turned around and glared at his grinning mother. Lucille arched an eyebrow at him expectantly, and he sighed, looking down to his shoes and making his way back to her.<em>

_The same scene happened._

"_Troy!" Lucille yelled his name and Troy looked up, he turned his head to one side when he heard a loud horn. __His blue eyes widened when he saw a car approaching him full speed and he froze in shock in the middle of the road._

_Like every dream, he felt being pushed out of the way and his head hit the hard pavement. He felt the ball slip from his grip because of the hard impact and then he felt the dizziness. He felt his heart pumping in his head, pumping in his ears, making it the only thing present. _

_Something different happened this time. He didn't hear his father yell his mother's name. So Troy opened his eyes and pushed himself up with his elbows. He blinked, not understanding what was going on._

"_Gabriella?" he mumbled confused, studying the girl's body over the puddle of blood where his mother's body was supposed to be lying. There was no Jack and no 7 year old Chad. It was just Gabriella's dead body and Troy, Troy at his 17 years of life._

_He stood up and ran towards her, ignoring his pumping head and his aching back. His breathing increased as he collapsed on his knees next to her and picked up her body. She was pale; her lips were blue in a flat line, not the beautiful teasing smile that always adorned her face. Her black curls were damped in blood. Troy shook her as he touched her face. _

"_Gabriella!" he called her. "Gabriella! Come on, Cupcake, wake up!" _

Troy opened his eyes as the annoying beeping of his alarm clock filled the quiet room. He was breathing heavily and the beating of his heart was faster than normal. He was gripping the sheets of his bed tightly when he realized that he had woken up. He blinked a couple of times, before he stretched over and slammed his fist over the noisy device, turning it off. He sighed as he rubbed his face.

What was that all about?

He wasn't shocked that the nightmares came back. He hated it, yes, but he wasn't shocked. He was more shocked at the fact that Gabriella had taken part in them. She had no business in his nightmares. Or at least that's what he thought.

He stood up with a frown and with no idea how to feel. His hands were slightly shaking, and the fast beating of his heart wasn't slowing down. All he knew is that he had felt scared shitless when he saw the brunette's lifeless body.

After Troy took a quick shower, he got dressed in a dark blue shirt and jeans. He took his black hoody from the back of his desk chair and made his way downstairs, the pale face of Gabriella never leaving his mind.

He couldn't help but overanalyze his dream as he sat down at the kitchen island with a bowl of cereal. Just when he decided to give Gabriella a chance, he dreamt of her death. And not just any death, but his mother's death. He took out Gabriella's heart locket from his pocket and simply stared at it.

What if…

What if that meant that he was a danger to her? What if it meant that he would just kill Gabriella like he killed his mom? He frowned. Maybe Annie was wrong, maybe it was something telling him that he shouldn't open up to Gabriella, for her sake. And yes, maybe his too.

Maybe he wouldn't be able to give her back her heart locket like he wanted to. It was the little piece of her that he knew he could keep.

"Troy," his father's voice made him come back to the real world and he looked up, not really surprised to see him. Trying to act normal, he shoved the heart locket back to his pocket, and it seemed that Jack didn't notice.

"I would say I'm glad to finally see you after a week, but that would be a cruel lie," Troy said, bringing out his sarcastic behavior.

Jack glared at him. "Aren't you a bundle of fun," he said sarcastically back at his son. "Look, I don't have time for this, I need to be in a meeting in half an hour and I'm already running late."

"And that's my problem, because…?" Troy arched an eyebrow at him.

Jack huffed as he continued to glare at his son. "I'm coming home for dinner, tonight," he said, deciding to ignore his comment and going straight to the point. "I'm bringing someone over, so you better be here, presentable and on your best behavior."

Troy stared at him. "Please, Jack, when have I not been in my best behavior?" he asked him, sarcastically.

"Just be here with a tie," he said and then grabbed his briefcase –which he had left over the counter. He turned around, leaving his chuckling son behind.

"Yeah, right," Troy said to himself. Like Jack ever did what he said.

He sighed and then gulped down the rest of his cereal. What was he going to do now? The past two days weren't easy, because he only knew one way of being; but he had given it a shot to be open with the brunette, and though he kept his sarcastic behavior and was somehow… still his asshole self, he felt more relaxed, because he knew that he didn't have to worry about overstepping his limits anymore. And now, he had to begin worrying again.

He shook his head. He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't want to kill her like he killed his mom.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Troy! So I was thinking-," Gabriella began saying when she saw that he was walking in her direction, but she stopped on her tracks when he completely ignored her and walked right past her. She frowned, confused. "Troy!" she called after him, but he continued walking. What the hell?! And just like Troy knew she would, she followed.<p>

"Did you not see me or hear me?" she asked once she caught up.

"I'm not in the mood, Cupcake," he mumbled. "I'll see you at lunch."

She looked up at him and blinked a couple of times. "Okay, but I just wanted-."

"Goodbye, Gabriella," Troy said firmly and the brunette frowned.

"Fine," she said, annoyed and stopped walking. She stared after him, still feeling utterly confused and wondering what the hell was wrong with him. For a moment she thought that maybe he was upset because of the accidental kiss they shared two nights ago, but she quickly discarded it since he was acting normal yesterday. So what was it that made him be 'not in the mood'?

At lunch, things didn't get better, though they didn't get worse either. Gabriella sat at Troy's table like in the past two days, but he didn't make any attempt to make conversation. And Gabriella was kind of sad that he hadn't tried to grab her hand again. It was too silent for her liking, but she knew that it wasn't the moment to tease Troy in any way. Somehow she knew that what he had was something serious, and that he wouldn't react in that 'playful' angry and annoyed way that he usually did. He had a certain look in his face that Gabriella hadn't seen before. She didn't know what name to put to the feeling in his eyes –Troy wasn't an easy person to read.

"Just tell me one thing," she mumbled to him. "Are we still going to go to the restaurants or not?"

Troy looked up at her. "Yes," he said before he continued eating his chicken nuggets.

"Okay," Gabriella nodded her head and then it became quiet again.

After school, the brunette began gathering her stuff from her locker before she went to meet Troy at the parking lot. She had to say, that with his attitude, she was surprised that he still wanted to drive her around checking restaurant prices.

Before she could even reach for her Algebra book, she was forced to jerk her hand back when her locker suddenly slammed shut. She blinked confused for a moment, but then looked up to find Austin standing right in front of her locker, staring at her with a smug smirk.

"Hello, baby," he said.

The brunette groaned. "Oh, good Lord. What? What do you want?"

"I see we're in a bad mood," he chuckled. "That's cute."

"Austin, what the fuck do you want?!" Gabriella exclaimed exasperatedly.

The blond took a step forward, and shrugging his shoulders, he made Gabriella take a step back. "I just wanted to let you know that you can't run away from me forever. Someday Bolton will get sick of you."

"Oh, really?" Gabriella asked sarcastically. "Good to know! Now move your ass so I can get out my books."

Austin smirked at her. "You don't believe me, do you?"

Gabriella gave him a look. "I normally don't trust morons," she said. "Now, move."

"Okay," Austin shrugged. "But don't say I didn't warn you. You're not the only one, Gabby. Like you, there were many other girls that Bolton played with," he said. "Sure, at first it's all the mystery and all that crap that you females like, but after a while he gets bored, and he will get rid of you. Of course, after he fucks you first. But you wouldn't know, since you're new here. All the other girls dropped out of school, I wouldn't want to be the next one if I were you," he smirked and attempted to push some hair behind her ear, but Gabriella slapped his hand away with a glare.

"You really expect me to believe that?" she asked. "Just go away, Austin."

He chuckled. "Alright," he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and walked away with a sneaky smirk on his face. Gabriella scrunched up her nose and wiped her cheek forcefully with the palm of her hand. That fucking asshole!

She opened up her locker again and finished taking out her books before she made her way to the parking lot. She scoffed silently to herself –like she would ever believe a word that Austin said. She was clumsy and distracted, but certainly not dumb.

Once she was out of the building, she looked around, but didn't find Troy's motorcycle. She frowned, thinking that he had left, but then she blinked when she recognized his Audi A8 and saw him leaning against it, his aviator shades over his eyes. Gabriella's heart skipped a beat –he looked very handsome. She bit her lower lip as the grip of her hand tightened around her backpack's strap and made her way towards him.

"No bike today?" she asked him.

"I figured it would be more comfortable to leave our things in the car, instead of carrying them around," he said, looking up ahead.

"Sounds logical," she said and Troy nodded his head. Gabriella pursed her lips, thoughtfully as she cocked her head. "If I asked you what's wrong, you wouldn't tell me, right?"

"No," he said and then pushed himself off the car. He opened the passenger's door and made a gesture with his hand to tell Gabriella to get in. The brunette gave him a look before letting out a sigh and getting into the car, murmuring a 'thanks'. Troy closed the door behind her and made his way to the other side. He got in and turned on the car before he drove off.

"We're having dinner at my house," Troy told her after a while of driving.

"Are you asking or telling?" she questioned.

"Telling," he said. "Annie doesn't give me much of a choice."

Gabriella nodded. "Okay, fine."

Silence overcame the atmosphere again. Gabriella took a glance at Troy by the corner of her eye and sighed, biting the inside of her cheek as she rested her head against the window. She couldn't help thinking of something –What if Troy _was_ getting bored of her? And all this weird and sudden behavior was just him starting to cut her off?

She shook her head. No, no, no, no, she couldn't let herself be influenced by Austin's lie. She knew Troy. He wouldn't do that. Besides, if what he said was true, Taylor would've warned her the first day she showed up at East High, if not, she was sure that Chad would've said something. So no, it couldn't be that. But still, that didn't keep her from wondering why he was colder than usual.

They arrived at a restaurant called 'The Porch'. According to Jane and Kate, it was one of the best Italian restaurants in town –it was at the top of the list for a reason. The teens got out of the car and made their way into the restaurant.

"Hi," Gabriella smiled at the waiter once he looked up from the list in his hands. He eyed the couple for a second and smiled back at the brunette.

"Table for two?" he asked.

"No," Gabriella shook her head and the brown haired waiter frowned.

"No?"

"No, we're from East High, we're here to see the manager," she announced.

"Oh," he nodded. "For your school's event, am I right?"

"Yes," Gabriella said with a smile.

"Right, Mr. Jacobson told me you would come," he said. "I'll lead you to his office."

"Perfect! Thank you," the brunette said and then they followed the waiter. He led them to the back of the restaurant and through the kitchen. There was a lot of steamy vapor and smoke coming out of ovens and sizzling pans, and people in white clothing were running around preparing dishes and sauces and all that kind of stuff that cooks and chefs do. The brunette was busy looking at how one of the chefs was turning a steak over, that she didn't notice when another one trickled oil over a pan and tilted it over, making flames shoot up to the ceiling and making the brunette take a couple of little steps back, startled. She crashed against Troy's chest and he looked down at her with a frown as she looked up back at him.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized, blushing a little.

Troy rolled his eyes as he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her slightly forward. "It's fine. Walk."

The waiter opened a wooden door at the back of the kitchen and led them in, saying that Mr. Jacobson would be with them in a minute. However, the two teens waited for the manager for 10 minutes. When he got there, he apologized for his tardiness, saying that an old woman was complaining for a hair in her plate that turned out to be hers since… it was grey. After that, he gave the couple a small menu, a list of prices, and a phone number, explaining their service and saying that the quality of their food was remarkable. Both Gabriella and Troy shook his hand when they were done.

"What time is it?" Gabriella asked as they walked towards Troy's car. He took out his iPhone from his front pocket and checked the hour.

"4:10," he said.

"At what time do we need to be at your house?"

Troy shrugged, opening the car's door for Gabriella. "7:00, I think."

Gabriella gave him a faint smile, still sensing his bad mood. "Good. I believe we have time to check the other three restaurants," she said and Troy nodded.

After that, it was almost the same routine with the rest of the restaurants, except that in 'Kate's Inn', the last restaurant on the list, the owner and leader Chef, Alex, was the one to sit down with them and discuss his restaurant's services. Also, instead of an office, they sat at a normal table and Alex was kind enough to offer them a glass of Coke. Gabriella really liked the restaurant. Especially since she wasn't almost killed with fire.

"Thank you so much, Chef Turner," Gabriella shook Alex's hand. "We'll be in touch with you."

"Alright, Ms. Montez," he nodded. "I hope to be hearing from you," he turned to Troy. "Mr. Bolton."

"Chef Turner," he gave him a firm handshake and a polite smile.

As the chef got back into his restaurant, both Troy and Gabriella started walking down the street to where Troy had left the car, which was a couple of blocks away since there was no place near to park. The brunette sighed as she placed a last checkmark on her list.

"Done," she smiled to herself. "All we need to do is decide and hope for the best," she looked up at Troy. "What's the time?"

The teen took out his phone. "6:30," he mumbled.

"How's your mood?" she asked him.

He arched an eyebrow at her as he placed his phone back into his pocket. "Why?"

"I want to know if you're still grumpy," she said.

"Why?" he questioned again.

The brunette rolled her eyes. "You're still grumpy," she affirmed and then sighed. "Would you cheer up if I buy you an ice cream?"

Troy rolled his eyes and sighed, not answering her question. Honestly, nothing could cheer him up at that moment. Gabriella took his silence as a negative, so she bit her tongue to prevent any more comments and they continued their walk in silence.

With his hands in his pockets, Troy continued to take small glances at the brunette next to him. He couldn't help but feel guilty; she was obviously worried about him and he wouldn't even have the decency of being… a little nicer to her.

She looked beautiful. The afternoon sun made her skin glow with warmth and it gave a slight brownish color to her black curls; he had to clench his fists to stop the tingly feeling of wanting to run his fingers through her hair. How could one girl, who didn't have much out of the ordinary, make him react this way?

He looked down to his black converse and sighed. It wasn't necessary to say that he was confused with everything that had been going on in his head for the last 11 hours.

Gabriella glanced at Troy for a moment, grimacing a little at his head hanging low before she looked to the other side and spotted Troy's Audi at the other side of the road.

* * *

><p>Annie looked at the time on her phone before she bit her lower lip nervously.<p>

Mr. Bolton would be there any minute and his son wasn't there with a clean shirt and a tie on. She had texted the young teen saying that he had to be there before 7 and it was quarter before seven, why wasn't he there already? She sighed as she finished helping the maids set the table.

It was the first time that they were witnesses of a dinner with the two Bolton men sitting together in the same table. The three of them were extremely nervous, thinking that they would kill each other before dissert. It didn't matter if Jack Bolton was in a good mood or not, or if they had company or not, Troy would still manage to get into his last nerve. And Annie was completely stressed out with the fact that Troy wasn't punctual. She didn't want to imagine the scene if he didn't show up in time.

She walked back into the kitchen and rubbed her almost 6 month baby bump. "If that kid isn't here in the next 10 minutes I'm going to hang him by the ears," she grumbled to herself and took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves down. Oh God, why did Jack Bolton had to have his stupid dinner just when his son had school work to do?

* * *

><p>His eyes suddenly saw a blue car appearing around the corner in a speed that he had to say was ridiculously fast. He turned his head to see that Gabriella had already stepped into the street, unaware that she was about to get slammed by it. He blinked once, and in that half second, the image of Gabriella's pale, dead body of his dream appeared behind his lids. He heard a small gasp and that was all it took for him to reach forward and get a hold of Gabriella's arm before yanking her back and out of the car's way. Her back collided against his chest and he embraced her around the shoulders.<p>

"Watch it!" the man in the car yelled as he drove by, honking frantically.

Gabriella's hands flew over Troy's arms as her eyes widened with shock. "Holy shit," Troy said, feeling like someone had just punched him in the stomach. He shook his head and turned Gabriella around, a sudden rush of desperation and anger overcoming him. Not caring that she was shaking in fear, he gripped her shoulders roughly and shook her.

"God damnit, Gabriella! Didn't your mother teach you to look at both sides before you cross the street? In what fucking planet were you, huh?" he yelled. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

The brunette blinked at him, still shocked that she almost got ran over by a car to even answer him. She opened and closed her mouth, like she was stammering, but not a single sound came out.

Troy looked at her in the eye. "You scared the crap out of me!" he yelled, his voice breaking a little. Gabriella noticed that she wasn't the only one who was shaking.

"Sorry," she apologized in a low voice.

"Sorry?" he continued to yell. "All you have to say is 'sorry'? For God's sake, Gabriella, you could have gotten yourself killed!"

"Troy, calm down," she pleaded. "Stop yelling, I don't know where that car came out from."

"Of course you don't! You didn't fucking look!"

"Calm down," she repeated, feeling his hands shaking against her shoulders.

He glared at her. "How, the fuck, do you want me to fucking calm down?" he growled. "I almost lost you!"

Gabriella looked at him, feeling touched in an odd way since he was scolding her like she was a little girl. She placed her hands over his biceps and he tensed up for a second or two before he relaxed under her touch. He loosened the grip on her shoulders and sighed.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. The thought of losing her, scared him to a point where he started shaking. The pure thought of ever seeing her like he saw her in his dream was something he never wanted to experience; in fact, it was an image he would rather never think about, he wanted it censored.

That's when it hit him.

He once read in a Psychology book that dreams were usually censored thoughts that the unconscious mind released at the time when one sleeps. What if it wasn't something telling him that he would be the death of Gabriella? What if it was just a repressed thought of being afraid to lose her? He let himself hope for a bit as he looked at her; she looked just as scared as he was. He sighed again and let go of one of her shoulders to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "You're right; the car came out of nowhere."

The brunette gave him a faint smile. "It's fine, really."

He dared to smile back at her. Yes, that was it; it was just his stupid ole fear. "Come, I'll buy you that ice cream," he told her. Gabriella gave him a funny look, but nodded her head. _Alright_.

* * *

><p>A nine year old blonde girl scrunched up her nose as she looked around the living room of the Bolton house with curiosity. She pushed the black thick glasses up her tiny nose as her surprisingly short legs dangled at the end of the brown leather couch. She looked over at her mother and rolled her eyes as she saw her giggling and slapping the blue eyed man's shoulder playfully. <em>So lame<em>. She would have rather be at her house reading one of her many books of _Junie B. Jones_; but no, she was stuck at her mother's boyfriend's house, waiting for some stupid teen while she starved to death.

Jack smiled at Lydia and then raised his wrist up to his face to look at the time in his watch. 7:30. He twisted his mouth. "Would you excuse me for a second?" he asked the beautiful woman. "I need to talk to Annie."

"Of course," Lydia smiled. "But don't take too long."

"I won't," he winked at her and then walked across the dining room and into the kitchen. He looked at Annie, who was sitting on one of the tall chairs, biting her fingernails, nervously.

"Annie," he called her and she looked up; she immediately stopped biting her nails and stood up from the chair.

"Mr. Bolton, do you want me to serve the dinner already?" she asked.

"No," he shook his head. "Do you have any idea where my lazy ass of a son is?"

"Uh," she blinked. "W-well, he said h-he had some school work to do," she stuttered. "I'm sure he just lost the track of time and will be here any minute, now."

Jack frowned but nodded. "Alright," he grumbled. "If he's not here in 5 minutes, then you can serve the dinner."

"Yes, Mr. Bolton," she said and the 48 year old man exited the kitchen. Annie groaned. "I'm going to hang that kid by the ears and I'm going to enjoy it!"

Jack walked back into the living room and faked a smile at his date. "Sorry," he apologized.

"It's okay," Lydia said. "Everything in order?"

Jack sighed. "Apparently Troy lost the track of time," he said. "If he's not here in five minutes, then we'll start without him."

The blonde woman frowned. "Are you sure? We don't mind waiting, right Terry?"

Theresa looked up, crossing her arms. She shook her head. "No," she said. _Of course I do_. She thought.

"See?" Lydia smiled and Jack smiled back at her.

He nodded. "Let's just hope he gets here in the next five minutes."

Just then, he heard the door open.

* * *

><p>(2 minutes ago)<p>

"I always end up having a stain in my shirt every time I eat chocolate ice- cream," Gabriella complained, rubbing her red shirt with a napkin. Troy shook his head in disbelief, but didn't say anything. He parked the car outside of his house and picked up his phone from the cup holder –which he had forgotten inside the car when they went out to buy their ice-cream. He frowned. 17 missed calls and 4 text messages. All from Annie. He sighed and rolled his eyes –her pregnancy hormones were starting to get into his nerves. He was just half an hour late, no big deal. He placed the phone into his pocket without checking the messages; there was no use since he was already there.

He turned off the car and got out, telling Gabriella to leave her stuff in the car. Even though she had been in Troy's house like 6 times already, she still couldn't get used to it; she had never been to such a big, beautiful house before. It still took her breath away.

Troy took out his house keys and walked up the porch steps with Gabriella right behind him. He didn't notice the black Mercedes that was parked right in front of the sidewalk.

"_Let's just hope he gets here in the next five minutes_," Troy froze when he heard his father's voice coming from the living room once he opened the door.

"You're fucking kidding me," he whispered, closing his eyes tightly. Gabriella looked up at him worriedly.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," he mumbled. "Just, let me talk," he said, closing the door behind them.

"_Huh_,_ looks like he's here_," he heard Jack say again and this time Gabriella heard him too. It was too late for them to run, Jack had already heard them. The brunette felt how Troy tensed up, and she knew that something bad was about to happen. She hesitated when Troy walked into the living room and she followed. Three pairs of eyes stared up at them, and Troy frowned. Who, the fuck, were these people?

"Nice of you to finally show up," Jack scolded him with a glare. "I believe Annie told you, you were supposed to be here by 7," his eyes posed on Gabriella. "Who's the girl?"

"Who are the girls?" he asked back, motioning to the nine year old kid and the woman, trying to protect Gabriella. No, she wasn't going to be a new target for him.

"Uhm," Lydia cleared her throat and walked up to the teen, she offered him her hand. "I'm Lydia," she introduced herself. "And my daughter Terry," she said, motioning to the girl. "You must be Troy?"

Troy looked down at her hand and then back up at her with an arched eyebrow. "I am," he said. Lydia dropped her hand, feeling slightly awkward. Didn't the boy say that he wanted to meet her? Gabriella shook her head and sighed; why did he have to be rude?

Annie and the maids stuck their heads out from the kitchen door, one head on top of the other –Annie, then Nicole and finally Isabelle– just like if it were a comedy.

"Troy!" Jack scolded him and Troy rolled his eyes. "A word?" he hissed at him.

"What word, Jack?" Troy asked him, playing dumb just to piss him off. Terry giggled silently to herself as Jack narrowed his eyes at his son.

"Troy…" he warned.

Troy huffed. "Don't get your thong in a twist, Jack, I'm coming."

Annie shook her head. "Oh, Troy," she whined. Terry giggled again and Lydia gave her a stern look, getting her quiet.

The blue eyed teen took one last glance at Gabriella before following his father. The brunette stood there awkwardly, with no idea of what to do; she definitely not expected any of that. Lydia looked at her and Gabriella offered her a shy smile.

The maids and the cook quickly got their heads back in, seeing that the Bolton men were heading their way, and quickly got back to work; _work _meaning to pretend to do something. Jack and Troy walked into the kitchen, not paying attention to the three women and continued their way to the other door that led them to the backyard.

Annie and the maids looked at each other for a second after their bosses walked out and tip toed over to the sink to look out the window.

Troy took a breath, getting ready for a new session of insults and bites. Jack turned around and Troy arched an eyebrow at him, putting on his sarcastic mask, just like if it was his armor.

"Just tell me something, Jack. Are they your other family?" Troy asked, mockingly.

Jack glared at him. "No time for your stupid jokes, Troy Alexander! You made me look like a fool!"

The teen gave him a fake smile, as in saying that he didn't care. "Why you say that?" he asked sarcastically.

Jack gritted his teeth. "Not only you aren't punctual, you acted like an asshole and arrived with some… _tramp_ that only the Lord knows you got out from!"

Troy's sarcastic smile fell and he felt the walls of his stomach press together in anger. He gave his father an ominous look. "What?"

Jack, hearing the tone in his son's voice, studied his face. "Oh, God," he frowned, starting to get angrier. "Don't tell me that bitch is your girlfriend," he said with disgust.

With the blood starting to boil in his veins, Troy, for the first time in his life, took a step towards Jack threateningly, with the same sinister look in his eyes. "You don't call her that," he told him.

"I'm gonna call her whatever the hell I want," Jack glared at him. "After all she's just a dumb slut you picked up somewhere."

"Shut up!" Troy growled.

Jack ignored him. "How much are you paying her to let you fuck her, huh?" he asked.

Troy took another step towards him. "Shut your fucking mouth, Jack. She's not a prostitute."

"You don't talk to me like that, you hear me?" Jack told him raising his pointer finger at him. "And I don't see what else she could be because you're not fucking allowed to have any kind of relationship."

Troy stared at him, with hate written all over his face. "What I do or not do with my life is none of your business," he hissed at him.

Jack scoffed. "Really?" he asked him, mockingly. "Well, unfortunately for you, as long as you live under my roof, you live under my rules."

"Oh, please! Do not give me that crap, Jack!" he yelled at him. "Rules? Rules are: not eating in my room or doing my own laundry! You _suffocate_ me! Why don't you just kill me already!"

"Oh wouldn't that be just perfect!" Jack growled at him. "Always looking for the easier way out."

Troy narrowed his eyes at him. "You're an asshole."

"If speaking the truth makes me an asshole, then yes I am," Jack said.

The teen shook his head at him; he had enough. "Glad to know you're full aware of that!" he turned around and started making his way back to the house, leaving Jack to think that he won.

"Yeah, go on; walk away like you always do! Be the coward you are!" Jack yelled at him. "Run to your slut!"

Troy stopped on his tracks. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. He just had to say that, didn't he? _Fuck it_. He thought. He turned around and marched back to Jack.

"You have no fucking idea of how badly I want to punch you, right now," he hissed at him. "But I won't because, here, I am the bigger man," he said and Jack scoffed. "You think you know everything. You think you have everything figured out. You think you have _me_ figured out. But in reality you have no idea. You're pathetic! Always pushing me around, trying to make yourself feel greater, trying to make me feel like shit! Well, great job, Jack. Because you did! You made me feel like I didn't deserve to breathe. But mom's gone, and unfortunately for you, I'm your only family. And hell you made me fucking hate your guts. You're gonna die alone, Jack. And the day you do, I'm going to dance on your grave!"

As soon as he finished that sentence, Troy was suddenly looking to his left with a stinging feeling on his cheek. He blinked as his hand flew to his jaw. He turned to look at the man who had slapped him; he should've seen that coming.

"At least I won't die being a fucking killer," he hissed at his son. "Too bad you think of me that way, because without me you're nothing, Troy! Nothing!"

"Rot in hell," he hissed back at him. "You and your stupid second family!"

With that, Troy turned back around and started making his way back to the house. He stormed into the kitchen, taking a glance at Annie and the maids, who stared back at him, wanting to say something. Troy shook his head at them, as in telling them not to bother.

"Get back here! I'm not done with you!" Jack yelled as he went after him. But Troy ignored him as he walked back into the dining room and then into the living room.

He made his way over to Lydia. "If you're smart enough, you won't date that bastard," he told her, making Lydia's eyes widen in shock. She blinked, with no idea what to say.

"Troy Alexander!" Jack yelled.

The teen turned to look at Gabriella, who continued to stand just where he had left her. She looked at him worriedly and slightly afraid. He walked over to her and grabbed her by the arm, and without saying anything, he pulled her out of the house. She didn't protest.

"Troy, what happened?" the brunette asked as he pulled her towards his car.

"Nothing," he told her, letting go of her arm and pushing her slightly. "Get in the car."

Gabriella, knowing that pushing him would not get her anywhere, obliged and got into the car without a word. The blue eyed teen got in as well and he drove off. Gabriella had no idea where he was taking her.

Troy was beyond angry, and Gabriella could tell by the navy blue that his eyes had taken, replacing his usual baby blue. His hands were grasping the steering wheel tightly, turning his knuckles white, and his foot stepped further down on the accelerator. Gabriella began getting a little scared at the speed that they were taking; her hands flew over to her seat, holding on to it in dear life.

"Troy, slow down," she said. But it seemed like he just ignored her since the needle of the speedometer continued to rise. "Troy!" she said louder. "Troy!"

"Shut up, Gabriella!" he growled at her.

The brunette held tighter to her seat. "Troy, you're gonna kill us both! Stop the car!" she yelled. The needle continued moving up. "TROY! STOP THE FUCKING CAR, RIGHT NOW!" she yelled as loud as she could. Troy, hearing the fear in her voice, growled in protest but pulled the car over and hit the break. Gabriella let out a shaky breath.

"Are you happy now?" he yelled at Gabriella, who stared back at him, taken aback. Troy punched the steering wheel before he pulled on the emergency break, took off his seatbelt and got out of the car, slamming the door shut behind him.

Gabriella jumped startled as she saw how he kicked one of the wheels of the car. He kicked it various times and then slammed his fists on the car's hood. The brunette watched worriedly as he grabbed onto his hair and screamed. She took off her seatbelt and got out of the car.

"Troy," she said softly, walking up to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, but he jerked away and turned to sit on the front of his car.

"Don't touch me," he hissed, crossing his arms tightly and looking away from her and breathing heavily.

Gabriella bit her lower lip, feeling very worried. She stood in front of him, feeling a little bit afraid of Troy's aggressive behavior. She had seen him angry before, but nothing like she was witnessing now. Carefully, she raised her hand and grabbed his chin, making him look at her; she noticed the red mark on his right cheek.

"He hit you?" she asked him softly. Troy didn't answer; he just stared at her with angry eyes. For some reason, Gabriella thought of the first day that she started working at the coffee shop and that Troy had appeared; he had a greenish mark on his cheek but he had said that it had been a basketball in P.E that hit him.

"Troy, answer me," she pleaded, still speaking softly.

Troy slapped her hand away. "What the fuck do you care!" he growled at her. Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him.

"Don't talk to me that way," she told him sternly.

"I'll talk to you however the hell I want!" he said. "Now please leave me the fuck alone!" he yelled at her.

The brunette continued to glare at him. "I'm not scared of you, Troy Bolton," she told him. "So yell all you want, but I won't ever leave you alone. You're my friend. And I don't leave my friends alone. I care about you, Troy; hard to believe because you can be a real asshole at times, but I do."

"Then you're stupider than I thought," he told her.

"Well, you're stupid too, if you think that's going to offend me," she said.

"Agh!" Troy growled. "You're exasperating!" he exclaimed, pushing himself off of the car and taking a couple of steps away from the brunette. He crossed his arms again and let out a sigh. He closed his eyes, trying to breathe even. Right in that moment, he didn't know why he was being such an asshole to Gabriella; it wasn't her fault. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. Gabriella stared at him.

"Yes, he hit me," he said softly, but loud enough for Gabriella to hear. Her eyes softened. "My father and I don't have the greatest relationship," he mumbled, letting his arms drop to his sides, and turning around to face the brunette. He sighed. "I'm sorry, Cupcake, I'm just…"

"Angry," she said, taking a step towards him. "I know, Troy," she said.

"Everything is so complicated," he mumbled, shaking his head. "My father, you, Annie…" he sighed. "Most of the times I don't know where to go, what to do, or what to say," he said, and looked up to her. "You confuse me the most."

The brunette grimaced and took another step forward, only leaving a really small gap between their bodies. "If it's any consolation, you confuse me very much, too," she told him, looking deeply into his eyes. "You're kind of bipolar."

Troy chuckled, giving her a faint smile. Gabriella smiled back at him.

"We could figure this out, together," she proposed. "Because honestly, I don't know where to go either," she admitted.

Hesitantly, Troy reached for her hand. Gabriella looked down, feeling his fingers brush against the back of her hand. She immediately understood what he wanted and grabbed his hand, intertwining her fingers with his, just like if they were closing a deal. She looked back up at him.

They were going to be lost together.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**There you go! More than 8000 words for you! :)**

**Please tell me you guys like it, because I seriously don't like it that much. It didn't turn out completely the way I wanted. I got awfully stuck in Troy's and Jack's fight, because, oh my God, their fights are very monotonous! "Oh you scumbag!" "Oh you asshole!" so I was like "Uh… okay, let's try Jack insulting Gabriella." Lol. **

**Yeah, Lydia's pretty confused. Terry's all like WTF, I'M HUNGRY! And Jack has some serious explaining to do xD.**

**Heads up with Terry. There's a reason why everything happens. **

**I also made a small reference to my deleted story "I fell in love with a murderer". (That was in youtube). I may re-write it and post it here, but we'll see. Depends on how my book goes :)**

**Anyway, this chapter was like… THE chapter. The one that finally breaks with Troy's fears and gives Troy and Gabriella's relationship a start. (I know, took me long enough xD) **

**Sorry for the wait! This time it was writer's block! **

**I still hope that you guys enjoyed it! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW behind. **

**OH! Talking about reviews! ASDFGHJKL! I GOT 21 REVIEWS LAST CHAPTER! I WAS ALL LIKE ASDFGHJKLÑ! THANK YOU SO DAMN MUCH! :D **

**I'll try to update the next chapter as soon as possible. **

**Sorry for Grammar and Spelling mistakes. **

**Lots of love,**

**Mary. **

**P.D: I LOVE ZAC EFRON! (I had to say that xD) **


	18. The only thing that matters

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Seventeen _

**Please Read, Enjoy and Review! **

**Last chapter: uh…. Troy got a dream that had him thinking that letting Gabriella in was a mistake, but then realized that it was his good ole fear right after Gabriella almost got ran over by a car. Uhm, They went to see the restaurants. ****Uh… ****Jack brought Lydia and her daughter for dinner and got extremely pissed when Troy showed up late AND with Gabriella; all because he forgot to read Annie's texts xD. Troy and Jack got into another fight in the backyard and Jack slapped Troy again. Troy stormed back into the house (Annie and the maids saw everything), and told Lydia that she would be stupid if she dated his father. He took Gabriella out of there, drove off really fast, Gabriella stopped him, they got out, they yelled around a bit, and Troy finally dared to confess that his dad had hit him. **

* * *

><p>As soon as Gabriella intertwined her fingers with Troy's, he finally understood that what Annie had said was true. She wasn't going to be a slamming door. Maybe it was his imagination, but he could almost swear that he felt her affection when she grabbed his hand; and the look in her eyes only reinforced that feeling. He couldn't believe that just 4 days ago, he was determined to not let her in at any cost, and now… he had taken a big step just by telling her that his dad had hit him.<p>

The fight with his father still made itself present in his head; he had felt really embarrassed that he had made a scene in front of Gabriella. But more than embarrassed, he had felt worried, or maybe even scared. He didn't know what his father would do if he saw Gabriella. Not in a million years Troy would have taken Gabriella to his house if he knew that his father would there. But luckily, he had taken all his anger out on Troy.

Honestly, Troy didn't even want to think what his father would tell her –something about his mom, or call her all the names that made Troy want to punch his father in the face.

"I better take you home," he suddenly said, deciding that ending the night would be the best; after all, it had been a day full of emotions. The brunette frowned. Did he seriously expect her to just let him take her home after he opened up to her like that?

"I don't want to go home," she said. "Not yet, at least."

"It's been a long day, Gabriella," he told her, brushing some hair out of her face with his free hand. "I think it would be best if we just called it off for tonight."

"Well,_ I_ think it would be best if you took me to dinner first," she argued. "I'm hungry and you said we were having dinner at your house. It's only fair if you take me somewhere."

Troy stared at her and let out a low and disapproving grunt. Well, if she didn't argue for everything and about anything, she wouldn't be the girl that had him head over heels. "You always have to have a response to everything I say, don't you?"

The brunette smiled at him and nodded. Troy rolled his eyes and shook his head, the usual unconscious small smile adorning his handsome face. "Fine," he gave in and Gabriella gave him a big toothed grin. The blue eyed boy rolled his eyes once again and then they both walked back to the car.

* * *

><p>Things were awkward and silent in the Bolton Residence. Theresa sat uncomfortably watching her mom and Jack stare at each other quietly, as if they were discussing something with their eyes, or simply trying to figure out what to say to one another. The young girl's stomach growled and she placed her small hands over her tummy; she wasn't the typical spoiled girl who would just complain and whine when she was hungry, especially when her mom was busy, so she just sat there quietly.<p>

Jack, deciding that it would be better to have a word with his date with the kid out of the room, called Annie to take Theresa to have something to eat in the kitchen. Annie, nodding her head, took the girl's hand and smiled at her as they walked out of the living room, asking what her favorite cartoon was and leaving the adults to talk.

The blue eyed man grabbed Lydia's hand and led her to the couch. They both sat down and Jack sighed. Nothing had gone the way he had planned.

"I'm sorry, Lydia," he apologized. "I'm sorry that Troy made you feel uncomfortable."

The blonde looked at him, her blue eyes saying that she had no idea what to say. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, trying to figure out how voice out what she was feeling. She sighed. "He really took me off guard," she finally said. "I thought you said he wanted to meet me."

"I thought he said he wanted to meet you, too," Jack mumbled an obvious lie. "I didn't think he would behave this way; arriving late when I told him to be here and ready, and bringing some girl with no invitation whatsoever."

"Maybe he just forgot," Lydia tried to reason with him.

Jack scoffed. "He certainly didn't forget. I reminded him this morning," he said. "Ever since his mother died, I no longer know how to deal with him."

"Don't be so hard on him," Lydia told him. "Try to put yourself in his shoes, Jack. Maybe he had a date with this girl and he simply forgot."

"That still doesn't give him the right to be rude," he grumbled. Lydia placed a hand over his knee and Jack looked up at her. She gave him a small smile.

"He's a teenager, babe," she told him. "I'm sure you were grumpy and rude too when you were his age."

Jack sighed and took the tiny hand that was resting over his knee. "Do you always try to see the good in people?" he asked. "Even when they don't deserve it?"

"I guess," she nodded. "I try."

In the kitchen, Annie poured some tomato soup in a bowl and served it in front of the tiny nine year old. Isabelle and Nicole were in a corner whispering to each other, making Terry arch an eyebrow at them. She wondered what the secret conspiracy was about… if there was one, of course. Maybe they were discussing about the fight that barely took place in the enormous house.

"How old are you, sweetie?" Annie asked, smiling down at the girl as she took the spoon and began eating her soup.

"Nine," she said.

"Oh, well, aren't you a big girl!" Annie grinned.

Terry looked at her, weirdly. "Uh, thanks?" she mumbled, rolling her eyes secretly to herself. What was it with adults always saying that? Did they think that she was some kind of mentally retarded person that would clap stupidly if someone called her big? What was the big deal if she was big or not?

Annie blinked; not the kind of reply she was expecting.

"Uhm," the cook cleared her throat. "Sure. So… uhm…how's the soup? Do you like it?"

Terry shrugged her shoulders. "It's good," she said. "I was very hungry, already," she mumbled. "Do they always fight?" she asked with genuine curiosity.

Annie frowned at Theresa. "Who, sweetie?"

"My mom's boyfriend and his son," Terry said, looking up at the cook with questioning eyes.

"Uhm…" Annie hesitated, not really sure what to answer to the kid; it wasn't like it was any of her business.

Terry shrugged again. "I only ask because they seem to hate each other," she said. "My mom's boyfriend's son, mostly. You could tell by the way he was looking at his dad."

The cook blinked at her, speechless; just a few minutes with the Bolton men and she had figured out what Annie thought was simple rebellion for so many years. For a moment, the kid's attitude reminded Annie of how Troy was when he was a boy.

"I liked him, though," Terry smiled up at the cook. "Especially when he told him to not get his thong in a twist," she giggled a little. Annie chuckled awkwardly and smiled, taking a seat in front of her.

"Yeah, well, that's Troy for you," the cook said. "A real charm, huh," she joked, making Terry giggle again.

* * *

><p>Troy put the key in the ignition, but before he could turn on the car, he looked over at Gabriella, who was putting on her seatbelt. He took a small moment to roam his eyes ever her features; she was beautiful. Maybe she wasn't all mini-skirts or tank tops or high heels, she didn't wear too much make up and her hair wasn't perfectly combed; but she was definitely beautiful.<p>

Feeling Troy's gaze on her, Gabriella turned to look at him and arched an eyebrow when she saw that, indeed, he was looking at her with a faint smile. She felt a little intimidated, seeing that she couldn't quite name the look in his eyes.

"What?" she asked as she let out a nervous giggle.

"Nothing," he shook his head. "Where do you want to eat?"

"Uh, I don't know," she shrugged. "You choose."

"Well, since you're practically making me take you to dinner, you might as well choose what we eat," he said in his monotone voice, a joke hidden behind his seriousness.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Well, since you're paying, I think you should pick," she told him as she crossed her arms playfully.

"Oh, so now I'm paying too?" he asked and Gabriella nodded. "Now you're just taking advantage of me."

She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to prevent a smirk from forming. She shrugged again. "You have a dick, don't you?" Troy arched an eyebrow at her choice of words. "Hence you're a boy; hence the boy pays."

"I don't know if you noticed, Cupcake," Troy started. "But this is the 21st century."

"I'm old fashioned."

"Oh really?" he asked sarcastically.

"Yes," she nodded. "I'm the whole sex until marriage and the guy always pays kind of girl," she told him with a teasing smirk, the one that annoyed Troy, but that recently made him want to just grab her by the shoulders and pull her in to press his lips up against hers.

Troy chuckled. "Alright," he shook his head and turned on the car; she was such a tease.

Gabriella smiled to herself as she took a glance at Troy by the corner of her eye. She didn't know why, but she felt that things were about to change; somehow she knew that the events that had happened that night were the beginning of something. The moment when Troy admitted that his father hit him, she saw that she had managed to break through a part of his wall. There was so much more that she needed to work on, but she was willing to continue fighting. She wanted him to trust her. She didn't know why exactly, but she felt like she was meant to help him.

Troy made a turn to his right and drove into a Burger King parking lot, and Gabriella didn't object, thinking that burgers were not a bad idea; plus she told Troy to pick, so she couldn't really complain. Troy groaned as he looked around for a free spot, which he didn't find. He blew his fringe out of his eyes –a sign of annoyance.

"Uh, the drive-through?" Gabriella suggested, also noticing that there was no place to park. The blue eyed teen didn't answer, but showed his agreement when he turned to the left, into the drive-through.

"Good evening, welcome to Burger King, may I take your order?" a girl's nasal voice sounded from the speaker.

"Yes, hi," Troy responded as his eyes roamed over the menu. "Uh, it's going to be a Triple Whopper combo, please," he said.

"You're gonna eat all that?" Gabriella questioned him, her eyes widening a bit.

"And your drink, sir?" the girl from the speaker asked.

"Dr. Pepper," Troy replied.

"Anything else?"

Troy turned to Gabriella. "You, Cupcake?"

"Uh," she looked over to the menu, leaning over to take a better look. "A Tendercrisp, I guess," she said. "With onion rings instead of fries, and a Dr. Pepper as well."

"You're gonna eat all that?" Troy arched an eyebrow at her with a smirk, teasing her back. Gabriella stuck out her tongue at him. He chuckled as he turned back to the speaker girl and ordered Gabriella's food.

"Oh, oh, and a Chocolate Fudge Sundae," Gabriella said. Troy turned back to her and raised both of his eyebrows. Was it weird that he found it cute that she had a big appetite? "What?" Gabriella questioned, frowning; Troy chuckled and shook his head. "Oh, screw you, Troy!"

"And two Chocolate Fudge Sundaes," Troy told the lady and continued chuckling.

"Alright, that would be 10 dollars and 58 cents," the lady said.

"Thank you," Troy said and drove to the next window. Gabriella dug into her backpack and took out her wallet. Troy eyed her as she opened it. "What are you doing?" he questioned her.

"Uh, paying for my part?" Gabriella asked, sarcastically. "You didn't honestly think I would let you pay for my food, did you?"

"Put your money away, Gabriella," Troy rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet from his back pocket. She could try all she wanted, but Troy was determined to pay and there wasn't much she could do to stop him.

"Troy-," Gabriella tried to protest, taking out 5 dollars, but it had no use since Troy took out a 20 and handed it over to the lady when she opened the window to hand him the ticket. "Troy!" she complained, letting out an annoyed sigh and then she crossed her arms. Troy smirked at her as she mumbled something under her breath that sounded something like 'rich asshole'. He chuckled again.

After the lady, who turned out to be a pretty and chubby brown haired girl, handed him their burgers and Troy passed the brown paper bags over to his co-pilot, who took them grumpily, before driving off. Now, all he needed to do was find a spot to park the car.

As he found a spot next to a small park that was nearby, he watched Gabriella by the corner of his eye how she stole a couple of fries from his paper bag.

"If you wanted fries, you should've ordered them instead of the onion rings," Troy told her, pulling over next to park.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I just stole a couple of your fries, it's not like I ate the whole bag!" she countered as Troy pulled on the emergency break and took off his seatbelt.

"Okay, but you owe me an onion ring," he told her. "It's only fair."

"What?" Gabriella frowned at him, pretending to be offended as she took off her seatbelt as well. "No way, I don't share food."

"Oh, but you can steal from my fries?" he arched an eyebrow at her as Gabriella handed him his brown paper bag. She smirked at him.

"You must steal fries," she said. "It's the law."

"Uh-huh," Troy said, sarcastically, taking out the burger from the bag and opening it up carefully. "If you get anything dirty, you're cleaning it up."

Gabriella turned to look at him, as she took out her own burger, with disbelieving eyes. "Oh please, tell me you did not just say that."

"I'm serious," he said monotonously, taking a bite of his burger.

"Troy, I got an ice-cream chocolate stain from earlier on my shirt," she said. "I'm not exactly careful with food. Plus, you have leather seats; you can practically clean anything up with a moist towel."

"If you get anything dirty, you're cleaning it up with your moist towel," Troy told her seriously.

The brunette continued to look at him unbelieving. "What is it with boys and their cars?" she shook her head, taking out an onion ring from the paper bag and giving it a small bite. Troy was no different from other guys when it came to his black Audi A8; he liked to keep it clean and tidy. He didn't know why, he simply did.

They ate in silence. The only sound was their chewing, sipping and an occasional car that would drive by. There wasn't any talking and for the first time, both of them enjoyed the silence that had taken place in the car. The atmosphere wasn't tense or awkward like it usually was every time that it got quiet. Without having to fight her constantly, Troy noticed that he enjoyed Gabriella's company; he wasn't afraid to admit that he liked to have her near anymore. It felt _good_.

He felt like if some kind of burden was lifted off his shoulders. Fighting his feelings for Gabriella when he was near her was exhausting. He was grumpier, angrier and he felt more tired than usual. But now, at that moment, he felt at peace.

He was allowing himself to believe that he _did_ deserve to be happy. He really hoped he did.

Gabriella wasn't oblivious to the change in his behavior. She didn't feel like she had to break the silence, and that was something she thought was nice. She sat comfortably in the leather seat with the paper wrap extended over her lap.

"You know?" she suddenly said, grabbing a napkin from the brown paper bag that was sitting at her feet. "I haven't eaten in a car since I was like seven," Troy gave his burger another bite and he turned to look at the brunette with a certain curiosity, not having expected her to talk. "My dad was at work and there wasn't anything in our refrigerator that we could eat. So my brother took me out in my dad's old truck, and, ironically, we also went to a Burger King," she smiled to herself. "We were very hungry, so we decided not to wait and he parked on the next street instead of going home. It was just the two of us, and we talked about random stuff and listened to the Country radio station since it was the only one working," she giggled.

Troy stared intently at Gabriella as she talked. It was the first time that she ever shared a memory with him. He couldn't really blame her, he hadn't exactly been a person that inspired trust and he had been very rude to her.

Her expression was between nostalgic and sad, and that made Troy wonder if it had been a bad period of her life. He remembered the moment when they were in his living room and he caught her looking at a picture of his mom –she had said that she wished she had pictures of her mom.

"Has it always been you, your brother and your dad?" he questioned her in a low voice. Gabriella looked at him, and blinked a little surprised; she wasn't expecting that he would ask anything, but then again, he had been acting different. Gabriella saw that he had this odd sparkle in his eyes, a sparkle that she couldn't quite place as curiosity, but it was something close to that; it was like if he was interested in knowing. That encouraged her to answer him.

"My mom left when I was 5 years old."

Troy felt his stomach drop to his feet. He frowned. "I'm sorry."

Gabriella shrugged and smiled at him, feeling that he truly meant it. "It's fine. I can barely remember her, anyway," she said. "I wasn't even awake when she left. All I know is that the next morning she was gone, my dad was sitting on the couch covering his face and that my brother was locked up in his room," she said. "I didn't even know why she left until I turned 15; that's when I got the courage to ask my dad. He told me that she couldn't take that he-," she stopped herself, realizing that she was about to tell Troy that her dad was Schizophrenic. For as much as she wanted to confide in Troy and vice versa, her father's sickness was something that she would have to save for later.

"That he what?" Troy asked softly.

Gabriella sighed. "She simply couldn't stand him anymore. My dad's the sweetest, but he's a difficult person to handle, especially now that he lost his job about 7 months ago," she said. Technically she didn't lie; she just put her father's condition in different words.

Troy's brain quickly clicked everything into place and he nodded in realization. "Is that why you have two jobs?"

Gabriella nodded. _Partly_, she thought. "My dad hates it that I have to work," she told him. "But I don't mind," she shrugged. "Besides if I don't help, no one will; my brother barely started to work in his company, and he's saving pennies for his wedding, we can't really ask him for money," she said and then turned to look at Troy, who was studying her every expression carefully. Now he knew what was hidden behind her smile and her enthusiasm as she worked. He couldn't help but feel admiration towards her.

Gabriella frowned as she realized something. "Now that I think about it, I haven't really asked him about Diana. I wonder how she's doing. And why she didn't come down here with him. Not that I like her," she said, taking a bite from her burger. "She's petite and annoying and giggly."

Troy eyed her with wonder and blinked twice at how quickly she changed the mood in the conversation. He arched an eyebrow at her and smirked. "Like someone I know."

Gabriella glared at him, chewing. "I'm nothing like her!" she yelled at him with her mouth full. "If you think I'm small and annoying, she's-," Troy cut her off.

"And giggly," he added.

"I'm not giggly, Cinnamon Roll!" she exclaimed, with her mouth full and swallowing after. "Yes, I'm small and I admit I'm annoying, but trust me when I tell you that she's a 100 times worse! And a 100 times shorter!"

"Hard to imagine," he chuckled.

"Funny," she imitated him with a manly voice and rolled her eyes. Troy continued to chuckle as he finished the last bite of his burger. Gabriella shook her head at him and took her cup, giving her Dr. Pepper a sip as she tried to hide the smile that wanted to spread across her face –was she being witness of Troy Bolton's playful side?

She stared at him while he crumbled up his paper and shove it back into his bag before taking out the rest of his fries. Gabriella took another bite of her burger and continued to stare at him by the corner of her eye; she was seriously glad that he wasn't angry anymore. She didn't like it when he was angry. Grumpy, she could handle, but angry… that was a lot tougher, even for her. And she _knew_ how to deal with tough; she dealt with her father when he wouldn't take his pill.

She sighed. "Austin cornered me by my locker, today," she said, the subject popping into her head as she remembered that earlier, for half a second, she thought that Troy's grumpiness was him getting bored of her.

Troy turned his head to look at her, his brow furrowed as he felt how his stomach twisted. "What did he want?" he demanded. Gabriella turned to look at him, taken aback a bit by the tone in his voice. She couldn't help but feel excited –in a weird way– by his reaction.

"To tell me that I couldn't run away from him forever," she replied, scoffing after. "That sooner or later you would get tired of me," Troy's frown grew deeper. "Then he said something that you had a reputation of a player or something, and that you were famous for making girls fall for you with all your mystery, and that I was just one of them and that you would soon get bored of me and get rid of me," she told him. "After sleeping with me, of course," she added, shrugging.

Troy let out an angered sigh, looking up ahead through the windshield. "That's a new one," he grumbled. "You didn't believe him, am I right?"

"No," she shook her head. "Well, I doubted for a second," Troy lifted an eyebrow at her and Gabriella blushed slightly. "Since you weren't talking to me today and kept on grumbling at everything I said… I thought… well, you know…" she said. "But then I just figured that if it was true, Taylor would've told me."

Troy shook his head in disbelief.

"What other rumors had there been?" Gabriella asked, turning a little on the leather seat to take a better look at the blue eyed teen.

He let out a puff of air. "Too many to count," he said. "I don't remember most of them."

"Well, tell me one you do remember."

"Mm," Troy mumbled, thinking about all the rumors that he had ignored for almost 11 years. "Well, there was one that said that I tried to rape the librarian," he chuckled a little. "Like Ms. Hofstadter would let that happen, she would kick my ass first," he plopped a fry into his mouth.

Gabriella shook her head. "I've never liked Ms. Hofstadter."

"I find her hot," he admitted carelessly as he plopped another fry into his mouth. Gabriella frowned, feeling a small twist in her stomach, and without thinking, she slapped him on the arm. Troy frowned at her, confused. "Hey!"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him. "Have you ever heard what she's said about you?"

"That I'm annoying, cocky, and an idiot," he shrugged. "The only reason why she's so irritated by me is because she wants me but she knows she can't have me," he turned to look at Gabriella seriously.

The brunette twisted her mouth to a side and raised both of her eyebrows, causing Troy to break into a smile. He chuckled. "I'm joking, Cupcake."

"Funny," she imitated him again and shook her head. Troy just smiled at her before eating the last fry in his bag. Gabriella finished off her burger and ate the last couple of onion rings before she took her dessert from the carton cup holder.

Troy stared at her as she ate a spoonful of chocolate sundae, and he reached for his own dessert. He wondered for a moment why she hadn't asked him about his change of behavior. Troy knew she wasn't stupid and that she had noticed. She was always nosey and always wanted to know everything, so why hadn't she asked?

Maybe she knew him better than he thought. Maybe she understood that it wasn't something he wanted to talk about.

Or was she afraid? He also thought of that possibility; maybe she was afraid that he would clam up again. Or maybe… she _knew_ which subjects not to touch to prevent that from happening.

What Troy didn't know is that he also began understanding her better than he thought, since that was exactly what was going on through her mind.

He thought about everything she had told him. About her brother and their dad's truck, about Tom's annoying and petite fiancée, about her mom and why she had two jobs, and… he realized that he didn't mind her sharing her life with him, in fact, he… sort of liked it. He liked knowing why she was the way she was and why she did the things she did. He couldn't believe it, but he liked getting to know her.

And it felt so easy. It wasn't as complicated and awkward as he thought it would be. Answering her questions wasn't that bad either. He thought it would be hard for him, but it wasn't at all. It felt natural. Yes, he still felt a little insecure, and he felt that he had to be careful where he stepped, but he was trying not to think too much about it. He wanted to trust her, but honestly, he didn't feel ready to share with her the topic of his mom. He hoped… that he could keep that a secret. He was willing to share everything else with her at its proper time, just… not… that.

"So you like them blonde?" Gabriella suddenly asked, bringing Troy out of his thoughts. He blinked at her, confused for a moment, before he realized he was talking about Ms. Hofstadter. He cleared his throat, feeling slightly awkward at the question. He never really put much attention to what kind of girls he felt attracted to, since he never actually searched for any kind of relationship; the few hook ups that he's had from when he went crashing the occasional party were mostly blondes, but that was because they were the first ones to get drunk. And they were the easiest –he mentally added.

But recently, he had developed a taste for brunettes with chocolate brown eyes and long, curly hair.

"Uh," he hesitated for a moment, coughing slightly as he moved his spoon around in the melting sundae. "I don't really have a type," he answered her question with a mumble.

The brunette raised both her eyebrows at him as she ate another spoonful of ice-cream. "So you would like an Asian girl with blue hair and pink eyebrows?" she questioned and Troy chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

"No," he replied. "But if we talk about purple hair…" he smirked at her, making her burst out into giggles.

"Yes, purple hair is way much more attractive," Gabriella nodded, grinning at him.

He cleared his throat again. "And... do you have a type?" he asked.

The brunette shrugged. "I don't like Asian guys with purple hair, that's for sure," she said and Troy chuckled. "I don't know, really; I've never liked like… 'yellow blondes'," she admitted.

"Yellow blondes?" Troy arched an eyebrow at her.

"You know, like their hair is so blonde that it almost seems yellow," she said and Troy nodded. "And ironically, that is the type of guys that I seem to attract," she rolled her eyes.

"I see," he said. "And what you _do_ like?" he asked, emphasizing the word 'do'.

"Well, I've always had a thing for blue eyes," she admitted softly, almost in a murmur, as a slight shade of pink tainted her cheeks.

Troy felt his heart flutter at her words and his stomach's walls press against each other in an annoying, yet a nice, way. He couldn't control the wicked smile that suddenly spread across his face as the brunette continued to blush and refused to look at him as she ate her sundae. So she liked his blue eyes.

Before Troy could say anything, the song 'Hey Soul Sister' by Train filled the car and Gabriella's eyes widened. She placed her dessert on top of the glove compartment and bent down to take out her cell phone from her backpack.

Once she found it, she pressed the green button on the old Nokia phone and put it to her ear. "Hello?" she answered. "Oh hey, dad," she smiled. Troy observed how her eyes suddenly widened as she heard her dad in the phone. "What? What time is it?" she asked, her voice rising. She looked over at Troy, who looked back at her, a little worried. "I-I'm sorry, dad, I lost track of time, uh, I'll be there in 15, okay?" she said into the phone and then rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Dad, Tom's not that clever, trust me," she argued. "Dad…just…" she let out an exasperated sigh. "Forget it, I'll see you in 15," she said and then hung up.

"Everything alright?" Troy asked her, placing his dessert inside his paper bag.

"Yes," Gabriella nodded. "Just my dad wanting to send my brother out to look for me," she rolled her eyes, putting on her seatbelt and taking her sundae. "Would you mind taking me home?"

"Not at all," Troy told her with his raspy voice as he turned on the car.

The brunette smiled at him. "Thanks, Cinnamon Roll," she said and Troy rolled his eyes at his nickname.

"You've got to stop calling me that," he complained for what would be the thousandth time and Gabriella gave him a teasing smirk.

"Nope, I've told you that I like it," she said. "Therefore, I'm not calling you anything else," she concluded and Troy rolled his eyes again.

"You could try with 'Troy'," he suggested and Gabriella giggled.

"That's boring," she countered.

Troy arched an eyebrow at her as he began driving away from the unknown park. "Oh, Jeez, thank you," he said sarcastically. "I like your boring name too," he smirked as Gabriella giggled again.

"My name's not boring!" she argued. "It's fun, sweet and exotic!"

"What?" Troy asked, chuckling at how stupid that sounded and Gabriella joined him.

"Well, it's better than Troy!"

"You can't really compare a boy's name with a girl's," he countered, shaking his head.

"Well, if we look at it historically, 'Troy' as in the city or civilization or whatever way you want to call it, in Spanish, it would be translated to 'Troya', which _could_ be a girl's name," she said. "But of course only a weirdo would call their daughter 'Troya'."

"Are you aware that you just ruined my name?" Troy frowned as she finished her rant and Gabriella let out another giggle.

* * *

><p>Gregory Montez sighed in relief as he saw the car, that's been bringing her daughter back home for the past two weeks, park in front of the sidewalk. By the corner of his eye, he saw his son approach him and had to fight the urge to roll his eyes –if he was overprotective, his son was way worse.<p>

"Is she here, yet?" Tom asked as he pushed the curtain further open to look out of the window. Tom, as well, sighed in relief as he saw his little sister get out of the black Audi A8.

"Uh, uhm, let me walk you to your door," Troy suddenly said, feeling a bit nervous, when he saw that Gabriella began getting out of the car. Gabriella stopped on her tracks and turned to look at Troy with surprised eyes. Then a big smile spread across her face and she nodded.

"Sure."

Without giving it a further thought as to why he offered her to walk her to her door –since he's never done it before–, Troy turned off the car and pulled on the emergency break before getting out of the car. The brunette's heart raised its pace as Troy walked around the car and got nearer; she could almost swear that it skipped a beat after he reached for her hand, a bit hesitant, and slid his fingers between hers. He wasn't very used to human contact, Gabriella could tell, but she was happy that he seemed to want to try and touch her.

Gabriella smiled a shy smile at him and he couldn't help but mirror her smile. She bit the inside of her cheek as they began making their way to her front porch, taking extremely slow and short steps. By the corner of her eye she saw something moving by the window and she turned her head just in time to see the curtain drop. Her eyes narrowed and she suppressed the urge to growl in annoyance; hadn't she told them to not spy on her?

She quickly decided to shake it off and focus on the warmth of Troy's hand; his touch was almost electric. She wasn't going to let her father and brother ruin the end of her night, not when it had gotten better. Troy had changed so much in so little time. She had no idea what had happened to make him change his mind about her; one day he's willing to fight her, and the next, he grabs her hand in the cafeteria in a very protective way. And even though he acted like an asshole that morning, Gabriella knew that he wasn't the same anymore. It was something that took her off guard, but she knew better than to question him about it; it was almost scary how much she had learned about him.

"Thanks for everything, Troy," Gabriella told him once they stopped in front of her door, not letting go of his hand. "You really didn't have to buy me dinner."

Troy rolled his eyes. "It was just a burger."

"And onion rings and a Sunday and Dr. Pepper," she listed. "And don't forget the ice-cream from earlier."

"You paid for that one, Cupcake," he countered.

"Because I beat you to it, otherwise you would've paid that too, Cinnamon Roll," she replied.

Troy rolled his eyes again and gave her a look. "Do you really want to start a discussion over that?"

"I would love to if I didn't have to be through that door in…," she trailed off as she took out her phone and looked at the time. "Two minutes," she finished her sentence and then frowned. "Oh no, wait, I believe we do have time," she joked as she looked up at him with a big, teasing grin.

Troy chuckled and shook his head. "Goodnight, Gabriella," he said, letting go of her hand and making a move to leave.

"Aw, come on! Don't be a chicken!" she said, grabbing his hand again and pulling him back to her –an action that made Troy feel warm inside. He bit back a smile as he arched an eyebrow at her.

"Chicken?" he questioned her, daring her.

"Yes, a big yellow chicken!" she smirked. "Fluffy and cute."

"Fluffy and cute," he repeated. "That definitely doesn't suit me."

"I believe it does," she teased.

Troy faked a laugh. "No, it doesn't," he shook his head at her, his serious expression breaking into a smile as Gabriella raised both her eyebrows at him with a smug smirk. God, the effects she had on him.

"You're just afraid to admit that you're a big, cute and fluffy chicken that can't admit that if I had let him, he would've paid," she stated, lifting her chin proudly. Instead of answering, Troy let out a low guttural growl, fighting the sudden urge to grab that proud chin of hers and bring her lips up to his. Unconsciously, he took a step closer to her and hooked the fingers of his free hand in one of the belt loops of her jeans, taking her by surprise as he pulled her closer to him.

Gabriella felt herself blush as she looked up into his deep blue eyes, feeling slightly intimidated by the intensity that they were irradiating. Her free hand flew up to his chest, curling into a fist as the other tightened around his hand. She gulped.

"You need to learn how to shut up," Troy told her in a low voice. "You talk way too much."

Gabriella blinked twice, registering his words. "Well, you need to learn how to talk more," she also said in a low voice. Troy sighed; she always had to have the final word.

"And I'm not a chicken," he grumbled. "And of course I would've paid for your ice-cream if I hadn't gotten distracted. So there –end of the discussion."

"You take the fun out of everything," Gabriella accused him, her eyes moving between his eyes and lips. "You're like a little bitter… Cinnamon Roll," she concluded.

"I'm not bitter, you're just too annoying," he countered.

"You like me for that."

He moved his face closer to hers, their noses almost touching. "Who said I liked you?"

"You, four months ago," she reminded him. "In the hallway," she said, her voice turning into a whisper.

"Things change."

"And people change," she agreed. "But the look in your eyes hasn't changed much."

"How observational you are," he purred.

"I'm a scientist, I like to obs-," she started saying, not having noticed how Troy leaned further down , deciding to close the gap between their lips, and sending shocking waves through their bodies as soon as his soft lips pressed fully against hers. Letting go of her hand and her belt loop, he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and pulled her against him, making her drop her backpack to the ground. His heart began beating faster than it was already as his lips danced with hers in harmony. Gabriella practically felt herself melt against him, and had to wrap her arms around his neck just to make sure that she wouldn't fall; she had definitely not seen that one coming. And to think that barely the night before, she was fantasizing of Troy walking her up to her door and kissing her.

Troy passed his tongue sweetly over her lower lip, begging for an entrance; but before any of them could deepen the kiss, someone coughed loudly, causing the two teenagers to jump apart.

Gabriella's brother and father stood right in front of them, eyeing Gabriella for a moment, whose cheeks began getting red, before turning their gaze at the young blue eyed boy almost at the same time, making Troy feel for a moment like if he was in a comedy series in Warner Channel. Tom narrowed his eyes at him as Gregory looked at him up and down, making Troy shift uncomfortably under his examining eyes. He had never experienced being stared down at; much less by a girl's father. But of course, there was a first time for everything, he thought as he dug his hands into the pockets of his jeans; he never really expected to fall for anyone.

Gabriella quickly got over the embarrassment of her father and brother catching her making out with a boy, before she began getting angry. Her eyes narrowed and her fists clenched, her stomach twisted and her face got hotter. She had told them one thing. _One_ thing. To stop spying on her –to give her her privacy.

"May I help you?" she snapped, making the three men turn to look at her, surprised.

"Uh," her father hesitated.

"It's past your curfew," Tom answered.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at her 27 year old brother. "Only by 3 seconds, and," she paused, her eyes turning darker. "It's Friday."

"So?"

"_So_, go back inside, and I'll be there in a minute," she hissed, crossing her arms.

"Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend first?" Greg questioned her daughter.

Gabriella gritted her teeth and let out an exasperated sigh. "Dad, this is Troy, Troy, my dad," she grumbled. "You already know Tom."

Without any idea of what to do or say, Troy decided to apply his mother's be-always-polite-rules. He cleared his throat, awkwardly, before taking his hand out of his pocket and offering it to Gregory.

"Mr. Montez," he greeted. "Pleasure to meet you."

Gregory eyed Troy's hand for a second before taking it and giving it a firm shake, Troy's tight grip giving away that he was confident and dominant; he smiled, feeling impressed –maybe Gabriella hadn't chosen so bad after all. To him, a firm handshake always spoke more of a person than words themselves.

"Troy," he nodded, letting go of his hand.

"Tom," Troy also offered him his hand and Tom also eyed him for a moment before taking his hand, reluctantly.

"Troy," he grumbled. Gabriella narrowed her eyes at her brother; if he wasn't nice, he was going to be sorry.

"Good," Gabriella gave her family a sarcastic smile. "Are you satisfied? Now you can leave and actually give me the privacy that you two were supposed to give me."

"But-," Tom started.

"Go away," the brunette cut him off and gave him a look that told him that if he didn't leave in the exact same second, he would have to sleep with one eye open. Rolling his eyes, he gave Troy a curt nod before turning around and disappearing into the house.

Gregory wasn't as quick as his son. He gave her daughter a look before pointing to the watch in his wrist. "Five minutes, Gabby."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Yes, dad. Go!"

He chuckled. "See you around, Troy; it was nice to meet you," he told the young boy.

"Likewise, Sir," Troy replied and Gregory smiled at the two before closing the door, giving the teens the privacy that his daughter was longing for.

The brunette groaned and turned to look at Troy. "I'm sorry about that…"

Troy shrugged, stepping closer to her, again. "It wasn't that bad, Cupcake," he gave her a small, reassuring smile, tucking a strand of stray hair behind her ear –Gabriella would never get tired of him doing that. She returned him the smile as she searched for his hand again, intertwining her fingers with his and rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb.

"I'm still very sorry, I feel ashamed," she admitted and Troy chuckled.

He sighed. "Well, I did share some family drama, too," he told her with a silly smirk, for the first time trying to make her feel better. It seemed to work as she giggled and nodded her head.

"True," she agreed. "But that wasn't really your fault either."

Troy rolled his eyes. "If I had read Annie's texts…"

"But you didn't," Gabriella said. "And it's fine," she raised her free hand and placed it over his bruised cheek, making him wince a little. She grimaced. "Does it hurt?"

He shrugged. "Only when you touch it," he said in a low voice. "It'll go away by tomorrow."

Gabriella nodded and leaned up to kiss him on the bruise, making Troy's heart flutter and his insides churn –he would have to get used to her touching him; he couldn't have a small heart attack every time she did.

The brunette let go of his hand and extended her own in front of him, making Troy arch an eyebrow at her quizzically. "Give me your phone," she told him and Troy looked at her confused.

"What for?" he asked. Gabriella rolled her eyes and took a step closer to him and shoved her hand into his pocket, making Troy jump. "Hey!"

She rolled her eyes again and unblocked his iPhone. Troy watched her curiously as she typed away and then gave him back his phone.

"There," she gave him a smug smile. "It was about time you had my number," she told him and Troy arched an eyebrow at her before nodding.

"Cool."

Gabriella chuckled and stood on the tip of her toes to press a sweet peck over his lips, taking him by surprise. He couldn't help the goofy smile that spread across him face with her gentle gesture and Gabriella giggled at his face –he looked so cute.

"But seriously, Troy," she told him. "If you need to, call me. I don't care if it's 1 AM, okay?"

Instead of answering –since he didn't know exactly what to tell her– he settled with placing his hands on her waist and leaning down, brushing his lips against hers for a second before actually kissing her.

In that moment, he pushed the world aside and focused on her. His problems would still be his problems tomorrow, but right then the only thing that mattered was Gabriella.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**I know, I know, I'm the most horrible person on earth! **

**And I'm sorry it was kind of boring, but that's why I took so long on it; I get bored when I don't write the main actions of the story, so I had a lot of trouble writing the chapter.**

**Also, well my birthday was last week (October 24****th****), and my parents surprised me with an iPad, so I was just about to finish the chapter but then got dumbfounded by that beautiful piece of technology! xD So I spent five days playing Plants vs. Zombies! xD **

**So yes, my writer's block was pissing me off, plus I got a new distraction. Lol, but don't worry by the end of December this story will be all wrapped up and nice (does that make sence?).**

**Anyway, I'm sorry for the wait! But thanks so much for the reviews! I got over 40 this time and that got me squealing like a dog's chew toy! (WTF) Don't forget to leave another review behind, next chapter is going to be good, I promise! **

**Love you all!**

**Oh and sorry for grammar and spelling mistakes! I'm on my way out and I'm lazy to check! xD Promise to check it when I get back home! :D **

**Lots of love,**

**Mary. **


	19. Unforgettable

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Eighteen_

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**! **

**Last Chapter: Nothing much, Troyella apparently got together, Tom and Greg found them making out (lol), ehm, Jack and Lydia had a small talk that led nowhere but to her believe that Jack was a good man (¬¬). Oh and Terry seems to like Troy! :D (but not like… like him, like him xD) That's the essential. If you want details, read the last chapter xD. **

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><p><em>A 24 year old Annie stood nervously outside of the Bolton's residence after she rang the doorbell, feeling extremely nervous. It was her first day there, and though it was a temporary job while she earned some money to open her own restaurant, she still wanted to do it good. She had barely gotten married to a lovely man, Lucas, who was a second year Resident at the local hospital in Albuquerque. Each of the two of them had their own plans, none of them really had planned to fall in love – Annie liked to think that it was destiny. Though they got married, they still had plans on their own, so they decided that they would carry on with those plans and then they would start a family.<em>

"_Ms. Sanders," a blue eyed man in a black suit and grey tie smiled as he opened the door. _

_The young brunette smiled shyly as she took her new boss's hand after she walked in. "Mr. Bolton, please call me Annie."_

"_Annie," Jack repeated with a smile. "I'm so glad you took this job, my son and I desperately need some real food around here," he joked and Annie giggled._

"_I should thank you," she said, tucking some hair behind her ear. "I recently got married, so I need the money." _

"_Oh, congratulations," he said and Annie thanked him. "Here, let me show you the kitchen."_

"_Sure, uhm, lead the way," the cook said, smiling at the blue eyed man; he looked like a nice guy. After Jack showed her the way to the kitchen, he started showing her where everything was, and the more he talked and smiled, the more Annie began thinking that she would love her job. She could tell that she would have no problem whatsoever, at least not with her boss. _

"_Any questions?" Jack asked. _

"_No," she shook her head. "Everything's clear." _

"_Good," Jack smiled approvingly. "So, you sure you're okay with working on Saturday's too?" _

"_Of course," she replied. "My husband works all day, and sometimes night, so he won't really mind." _

"_Perfect then," he nodded and then checked his watch. "Well, I should be leaving now. My son doesn't have school today, so he should be waking up soon," he told her, faking a smile as he mentioned his 7 year old son; something that Annie didn't notice. _

"_Alright," Annie said. "Does he like pancakes?" she asked; she wanted to start with the right foot with the little Bolton boy. _

"_I think he does," Jack faked another smile. "My wife, Lucille, she was the one that knew what Troy likes; I'm not really sure." _

"_I see," she said and nodded, understanding immediately that Mr. Bolton's wife was no longer around. "Then I'll have to take a risk," she joked and Jack chuckled._

"_You do that," he said. "I'll be back for dinner, so you won't have to deal with the little monster all by yourself."_

_Annie let out a small giggle and nodded. "Alright, would you like Spaghetti for dinner?" _

"_That sound delightful," Jack nodded. _

_The young cook smiled and nodded her head once again before her new boss left the kitchen. Once she heard the front door close, signaling that he was gone, she sighed and looked around the enormous kitchen and couldn't help but squeal; she loved big kitchens! She immediately got to work with the almost new materials, trying to remember the place of the ingredients that Mr. Bolton had just showed her. Once she got everything she needed, she began preparing her famous chocolate chip pancakes –if that didn't get her into the little boy's good side, then she didn't know what would. _

"_Who are you?" a small voice asked behind her when she was half way done with the pancake mix. Jumping a little, startled by the unexpected voice, Annie turned away from the stove to face a young 7 year old kid in Sponge Bob pajamas, with short, disheveled brown hair and bright blue eyes –she didn't have to be a Geneticist to know that that was Jack Bolton's son. _

"_Hi!" she squeaked a bit, making Troy look at her weirdly. "You must be Troy, uhm, I'm Annie, your new cook," she announced, smiling nervously at the serious kid. _

"_New cook?" he questioned her, eyeing her curiously. _

"_Uh yes, your dad hired me," she informed him. _

_Troy blinked twice before nodding. "I see," he said. "So instead of buying more canned soups, he hires a cook. Interesting," he yawned as he climbed up on one of the tall chairs of the kitchen island. Annie stared at him, surprised by the kid's behavior; that was something she wasn't expecting. _

"_Uh," she hesitated, not sure what to say next. "Do you like pancakes, Troy?" _

"_Do they have banana?" he asked her. _

"_Uh, no," she replied. "I'm making chocolate chip pancakes. Do you want me to put them banana?" _

"_No, I hate bananas," he told her. "I was just making sure." _

"_Alright," she nodded. "So, how old are you, sweetie?" she asked the young boy, turning around to flip the pancake that was already in the pan. _

"_Seven," Troy answered, yawning._

"_Oh, well aren't you a big boy!" Annie exclaimed, smiling. _

_Troy arched an eyebrow at the cook's back. "Did they drop you on the head when you were little?" he asked her. Annie's eyes went wide and she turned to look at the boy, gaping. _

"_Excuse me?" _

_Troy answered her with a big mocking smirk. _

Annie giggled as she placed her sweater inside the entrance closet. What a sassy, insolent kid he was. _Still is_, she corrected her thought. At that moment, she knew that her job wasn't going to be as easy as she thought. What she hadn't expected was to fall in love with that little boy, that she would put every plan of opening her own restaurant on hold, just so she could watch over him. She had told him that she loved him like if he was her little brother, only because she knew that his mom was a sore subject for him; but in reality, she loved him like if he was another son.

And boy, that little girl, Terry, she had reminded her so much of Troy the night her boss brought her and her mom for dinner. If they didn't have different parents, she would swear that they were blood related.

She sighed as she walked into the kitchen and put on her apron. On Saturday, her boss had told her that he would bring them again on Friday, and that he hoped that this time, she would have everything in order; of course he didn't only mean the food, but his son as well. Annie approached the sink and washed the half empty cereal bowl that Troy had left after his breakfast. She narrowed her eyes. It was just one plate! Couldn't he wash one plate?

She shook her head. She didn't even want to think about what would happen when she absented herself after giving birth. She was going to be at least one month at home taking care of the baby. The first time, when she had Mike, not only the kitchen was an utter chaos, but Troy as well. He had a horrible stomach ache because he had tried cooking some frozen chicken in the microwave, it was unnecessary to say that even though it was hot, the chicken wasn't cooked up well. Annie spent two weeks preparing chicken soup and toasts for the 10 year old kid. It wasn't that bad when Lilly was born, though; he only made a kettle explode. She blinked twice as she placed the cereal bowl in the plate rack; luckily he left the kitchen before it happened, so he didn't get hurt.

She sighed again; at least he was older now and knew how to, at least, fix himself a sandwich. So she hoped that this time, he would survive. And to be honest, she wasn't worried about Jack at all, since he almost never ate home.

Ugh, how much she disliked the man.

* * *

><p>Troy got out of his car and walked over to the only flower shop open at that time. It was 7:15 AM, and he had decided to go visit his mother in the graveyard since it had been a couple of weeks since he last visited her. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he was also hoping to find a certain brunette.<p>

He pushed the front door open, making a little bell chime above him. He looked around and caught sight of a blonde woman behind the counter, tying a red ribbon around a flower arrangement. He made his way over to her and cleared his throat. The lady turned around and smiled at the teen.

"Oh, hello there," she said. The name on her tag said 'Marissa' and Troy couldn't help but chuckle as he remembered the day he met Gabriella; she had worn the wrong uniform that day and he had called her Marissa.

"How can I help you?" the woman asked, kindly.

"Yes, uhm, could I have a dozen of red tulips?" he asked politely, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking around the store, hoping to catch a glimpse of the brunette that had his heart skipping a beat.

"Sure," she nodded her head, walking around the counter. "Anything else?" she asked.

"Uh," he cleared his throat, his cheeks turning slightly red. "Is, uh, Gabriella around?" he asked, scratching his forehead.

Marissa smiled at the teen's shyness. "She's in the back getting her things ready for school," she informed him. "Do you want me to go get her?"

"Uh, no, that's alright," he cleared his throat again. "I'll just see her at school."

"Okay," Marissa nodded before making her way to one of the corridors, where the flowers were neatly placed in buckets with fresh water. Troy watched her walk away and then, for some reason, an idea popped into his head.

He walked after Marissa, biting the inside of his cheek, feeling a bit uneasy. What he was about to do was very out of character of him. "Actually," he said, getting the employee's attention. "Could I also have a dozen of red roses?"

Marissa blinked twice before smiling at the teen and nodding. "Of course."

After Troy paid for the two bouquets, he got into his car and drove off to the graveyard. It was an unusual windy day, so he had decided to use his car, thinking that the wind might bring some rain. He left the bouquet of roses in his car and took the one of tulips with him, making his way up the small hill to his mother's grave.

He sighed, crouching down as always and taking the old bouquet out of the vase and throwing it away before replacing it with the new one.

"Hey momma," he greeted his mother with a soft smile on his face. "Yes, you can scold me all you want, I deserve it for not coming to visit you in the past two weeks," he chuckled, scratching his cheek. "But I'm here now, so don't think I have forgotten about you," he sighed, sitting down on the grass.

The wind blew by, getting his disheveled hair messier. He rolled his lips together, looking at his mother's name engraved on the stone. "Things happened," he started to say. "Jack got himself a girlfriend," he raised his eyebrows unimpressed. "And not just a girlfriend, but a girlfriend with a kid," he rolled his eyes. "It's not like I give a fuck of what he does with his life," he grumbled. "He could jump off a cliff with no parachute, for all I care, and I'd still not give two fucks about it," he told his mother. "Honestly, I hope that that keeps him entertained and he stops riding my ass," he chuckled bitterly and ran a hand over his face, bringing his knees up and resting his elbows on them. He sighed. "At least for a while," he finished.

"Soon enough this… Mia, or Julia, or Lydia, or whatever her name is, will find out what a big douche bag he is," Troy said. "I don't know her, or anything, but I really do hope she comes into her senses before her kid pays for it," he looked down to his hands. "I mean, I wouldn't even take a double look at that little girl, but…," he sighed. "I… I don't know. I just don't want her to be near Jack," he looked back up to Lucille's grave. "No one deserves to be near a psychopath like him."

"But again –that's not really my problem," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I already have enough problems with my father, I don't need to deal with theirs if they stick around long enough," he mumbled. "And I really hope they don't. They look like nice people," there was a small moment in silence and then he rolled his eyes. "Yes I know, I know I acted like a jerk with them, but I was stressed at the moment, mom!" he exclaimed. "Because Gabriella was there, and I was being… sort of defensive because I didn't want Jack to say anything or do anything to her!" he explained himself to the gravestone and then let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, I know it's no excuse but-," he stopped and shook his head, rubbing his eyes with his palms. "I know, you raised me well, mom –I know when I'm supposed to apologize and crap. And I will, I promise."

He sighed turning his head to his right and then to his left; he was the only one there. It was no surprise, since it was 7:30 in the morning. He turned back to the stone, blinking.

"Gabriella? Uhm, yes uh," he cleared his throat, flipping his hair to the side and out of his eyes. "She's uh, good," he concluded and then narrowed his eyes at the stone. "You know, you get really annoying when you're questioning me about it!" he exclaimed. "What do you mean that I become nervous when she's mentioned? I-I-I do not!" he stuttered and then scoffed. "I stutter because… because…," he trailed off. "Oh shut up!"

Silence overcame the atmosphere again as he averted his eyes away from the stone and he crossed his arms over his elbows. He sighed and looked back at the grave; his eyes softened as he imagined his mother laughing at him with that angelical laugh she had. He small smiled. He scooted closer to the stone and put a hand over it, caressing it with his thumb. "You're so annoying. But if you must know –yes, I fell for her. Not like in love, but…," he sighed. "I'm just…giving us a chance," he informed his mom. "So yes, go ahead and tell me you told me so and squeal all you want," he rolled his eyes and smiled, shaking his head. "I deserve it, I know I was stubborn," he sighed again. "She's worth the shot," he admitted. "Annie made me see that maybe I do deserve to be happy, and that's how I feel when I'm around Gabriella –Happy."

The wind continued to blow as Troy took out his iPhone from his front pocket and looked at the time. "Well, I gotta run, mom. Mrs. Darbus will kill me if I'm late again, and I can't afford another detention," he grunted as he stood up. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of the gravestone. "I'll come by next week," he gave the stone a pat and then turned around, walking back to his car.

* * *

><p>"I'll see you tomorrow, Mar," Gabriella said, stepping out of the back door of the flower shop while placing her backpack over her shoulders.<p>

"Have fun in school," Marissa smirked from her chair, placing her feet over the counter and flipping her magazine. The brunette turned to look at the blonde and gave her a funny look.

"Why are you smirking?" she asked, accommodating Troy's beanie on her head.

The blonde shrugged and flipped another page of her magazine. Her brown eyes looked up at Gabriella and her smirk grew wider. "No reason."

Gabriella arched an eyebrow at her, but decided to shake it off. "Right," she shook her head and made her way out the door. "Quit the drugs, Mar!" she yelled over her shoulder and heard Marissa laugh before the door closed behind her.

The brunette made her way over to the bus stop and took out her iPod from the front pocket of her schoolbag, before sitting down on the bench. She plugged in her earphones and flipped through her library before choosing 'Lullaby by Nickelback'. Like she once told Troy, she had a weird taste in music –she would listen from rock, to country, to pop, to pop in Spanish. She would listen to any kind of music as long as the lyrics were good. She was the kind of girl who would always download a song depending on its lyrics.

The bus stopped in front of her and Gabriella stood up and got inside. She paid for her pass and made her way to her seat. She sat down and sighed, closing her eyes for a moment and resting her head against the glass. Like always, she felt tired, and honestly, she didn't know how much more her body would take all that beating before she broke.

Five minutes later the bus stopped in front of East High and Gabriella hopped off, thanking the bus driver before making her way to her school. Unconsciously, her eyes roamed the parking lot, looking for Troy's motorcycle. She frowned when she didn't find it; maybe he was running late…like always. Even though he had been getting on time, he would step into the classroom one minute before the bell rang.

Gabriella pushed East High's doors open, taking off her earphones, and walked through the crowded halls until she found her locker. Her head was wandering over Troy's location as she took out her books, when suddenly a bouquet of white daisies was placed in front of her. Gabriella blinked, taken aback. She took the bouquet between her hands, her heart speeding up, as the wild thought of Troy being behind her, with a small smile, crossed her mind.

"Awe, I didn't know you had this in you," Gabriella said teasingly with a big smile on her face, but it soon disappeared when she turned around and found no other but Austin Hobbs smirking at her. She internally groaned.

"Yeah well, you bring out the romantic side in me," he shrugged, placing a hand on the locker next to her head and caging her in against her open locker. "How you doing, sexy? Bolton finally dumped you?"

The brunette narrowed her eyes and pushed the bouquet to his chest, making him take a step back and blink in shock. She turned around and finished taking out her books. "Get lost, Hobbs."

"Come on, baby, don't be like that," he grabbed her arm and turned her around before she yanked her arm out of his grip.

"Get off!" she growled, making Austin smirk again.

"Don't you ever get tired of being in a bad mood, Gab?" the green eyed boy asked, placing his hand back on the locker next to hers.

"I'm not always in a bad mood, you just happen to bring out the worst in me," she hissed at him. "Now would you please get the fuck away from me?"

Austin bit his lower lip as he looked down to Gabriella's lips. "Do you want to go to the Spring Ball with me?" he asked, giving her a twisted smile that would make any other girl throw herself at him, but all that Gabriella wanted was to punch him in the stomach and then kick him in the face.

She rolled her eyes. "I'll give you five seconds to leave or else I'll rip your balls off and feed them to your dog," she threatened between clenched teeth.

"I don't have a dog," he informed her. "I'm more of a pussy kind of guy, if you know what I mean," he wiggled his eyebrows at her and Gabriella scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Come on, go to the dance with me," he pleaded, offering her the bouquet of daisies again.

"Austin, do you understand the meaning of 'no'?" Gabriella questioned him, pushing the daisies back to his chest.

"Your mouth says 'no', but your eyes say otherwise," he informed her and the brunette gave him a disbelieving look. "Come on, baby," he pleaded again.

"Do not call me 'baby'! I'm not your baby!" she exclaimed. "And stop asking because you're only making a fool of yourself in front of the whole student body!"

And Gabriella wasn't wrong; a good bunch of students stopped doing whatever they were doing to look at what was going on between the two teenagers, who were discussing quite loudly.

Austin looked around for a moment before posing his eyes back on the short brunette, thinking that she was right; he couldn't make a fool of himself. He let his hand fall from the locker next to Gabriella's head and took a step closer to her. The brunette shook her head, her eyes narrowing and her fists clenching. She was this close to punching him again.

"Step back, Austin," she warned him, but he didn't listen and wrapped his free arm around her waist in a swift move, an arrogant smile playing on his lips, and before Gabriella knew it, his lips were pressed on hers. Some of the students around them gasped and even some of them choked. Gabriella's eyes widened.

Troy frowned confused as he made his way through the hallways. Everyone was rushing in the same direction, whispering between each other and making noise, and before he could even wonder what was going on, he saw a mass of students surrounding something. He rolled his eyes; great, just what he needed –traffic. Before he could turn around and avoid the mass, he heard someone say Gabriella's name and Austin's. He froze in his place for a second before he made his way over to the mass.

People parted as he walked, he didn't have to push his way through. He heard Gabriella growl at Austin to step back and when he got to the front, his eyes widened and his insides churned in anger as he saw Austin caging Gabriella against her locker and lowering his head to press his lips against hers. He saw Gabriella's eyes go wide and watched as she pushed him back and slapped him across the face, making him drop the daisies to the floor.

The students hollered and howled in mockery as Austin turned back to look at Gabriella with murderous eyes.

"Here hold these," Troy told a freshman, handing him the bouquet of red roses he had bought earlier without looking at him.

With his face set in stone, Troy stepped between Austin and Gabriella just as he began making his way back to her, taking them both (and everyone surrounding them) by surprise. The halls went silent. Gabriella sighed, feeling slightly relieved.

"What are you doing, Hobbs?" Troy asked him with his usual monotonous and relaxed voice, his eyes cold and impassive.

Austin glared at him. "Do you always have to get into other people's business, Bolton?"

Troy crossed his arms. "No," he answered simply. "But when it comes to Gabriella, it becomes my business too," he informed him, staring him down.

Austin scoffed, deciding to not get intimidated by Troy Bolton like the last time. "You don't say," he said sarcastically, taking a step closer to Troy so they were face to face. "What, are you afraid of a little competition?"

"First of all, she's not a price, Hobbs," Troy told him, not feeling intimidated at all. "And second of all, there's no competition; she clearly doesn't want you."

"Oh, she's just playing hard to get, Bolton!" Austin exclaimed. "Like she's going to want a scumbag like you!"

Troy let his arms fall to his sides and Gabriella grabbed his arm. "Troy don't!" she pleaded, but Troy didn't pay much attention to her.

"She's mine, buddy," Troy growled lowly at him, staring directly into his eyes. "I'm not going to warn you again, either you leave her alone, or you face me."

Austin held his stare for a little longer, before he gulped and took a step back with his hands up in surrender. "Fine," he glared at Troy and then at Gabriella, who was behind him. "You'll pay, Bolton," he said, pointing at him and making Troy raise his eyebrows unimpressed. The blond turned around and started making his way out of the commotion.

Troy looked back to Gabriella for a second before his eyes drifted to the floor. He picked up the bouquet of daisies; nope, he wasn't done. "Yo Hobbs!" he called for his attention and when he turned around, Troy placed the flowers on the edge of Gabriella's still open locker and slammed the door shut on them. He pulled them out. "You forgot something," he smirked and threw the bouquet of now flower stems at Austin and he caught them with a glare.

Gabriella's eyes were wide as Troy turned to look at her. Everyone in the hall started scattering around, snickering at what Troy did –by lunch everyone would know about the little encounter of that morning. Troy's dark eyes began changing back to their natural color as he saw Gabriella's shocked expression.

"You're horrible," Gabriella told Troy and he rolled his eyes.

"You're welcome," he said sarcastically and the brunette couldn't help but giggle. Someone cleared their throat beside them, and they both turned to look at the freshman that Troy had handed the flowers to. Gabriella widened her eyes again. _Don't tell me this kid likes me too_! She thought, horrified.

"Uhm, your flowers," he said, handing them back to Troy. He took them and gave him a curt nod before the kid also walked away like everyone else.

Troy turned to look at Gabriella, who let out a relieved sigh, and handed her the flowers. "Uh," he cleared his throat. "I passed by the flower shop this morning and uh… y-you know, uh," he scratched the back of his neck. "They're for you, and uh…," his cheeks began getting red.

Gabriella, who now had a huge smile on her face, shook her head at his shyness and stood on the tip of her toes to place a small peck on Troy's lips, making him smile goofily. "They're beautiful, thank you."

He cleared his throat again. "Uh, you're welcome," he gave her a small smile and scratched his forehead.

The bell suddenly rang and Gabriella slid her fingers between Troy's, making his smile grow wider and they began making their way to homeroom, ignoring people's shocked looks as they walked by.

"You know, it was kind of awkward that you and Austin had the same idea of getting me flowers," Gabriella said and giggled when Troy gave her a look.

"Shut up, Gabriella," he said, rolling his eyes and making the brunette giggle. "It was my idea first."

The rest of the day went by not so smoothly, but it wasn't as awkward as Gabriella thought it would be. People would give Gabriella odd looks and whisper when she entered her classes or when she passed by in the hallways, but they would immediately stop when Troy would suddenly appear and shut them up with a glare. She'd be lying if she said that she hadn't thought that maybe Troy would be distant with her in school or would try to not be too touchy –touchy in level Troy; he wasn't much of physical contact. So she was really happy to see that he didn't mind grabbing her hand while he walked her to her class or steal a kiss from her now and then. He truly didn't give a fuck of what people thought of him, and Gabriella liked that.

Chad, of course, already knew everything since Saturday was 'Gabriella day' (as he liked to call it) and she had told him that something seemed to have changed on Friday after they kissed. So when Troy wasn't around, Chad kept everyone in place –he was the captain of the basketball team, he had some sort of power at East High.

When Sharpay found out around 3rd period, she squealed her lungs out, jumping up and down and hugging Gabriella tightly. Taylor, on the other hand, wasn't as thrilled about it, but of course she couldn't really voice out her opinion since Gabriella was still giving her the silent treatment for inviting Austin to their table after what he did to her two weeks ago. Gabriella knew that at some point they would have to talk it out, but she was still angry with her, so she was waiting to cool down a bit before having a heated discussion with Taylor Mckessie –the dark skinned girl could be as stubborn as a mule.

The brunette knew that she only meant well, especially since she thought that Troy wasn't good for her. But Gabriella knew him better, and she knew that he wouldn't hurt her. At least not on purpose. In fact, she was afraid that _she_ would be the one to hurt him.

She didn't see Austin again, not even during lunch, which was a big plus to her day. She honestly didn't care where he went to hide, because, knowing him, she was sure that he felt embarrassed.

When the bell rang signaling the end of the day, Troy sighed relieved and stood up from his seat. He placed his backpack over his shoulder and made his way out of the classroom, but before he could even take two steps, he felt someone run into him from behind and wrap their arms around his waist, almost knocking him down. He didn't even have to guess who the person was. He shook his head and turned around, obviously not surprised to see Gabriella grinning up at him, teasingly.

"Hey!" she greeted him, happily.

"Hi," he smiled.

"How was History?" she asked with a big smile, a smile that made Troy feel warm inside.

"Boring," he replied. "How was Spanish?"

"_Fácil_," she gave him a smug smirk and Troy chuckled. "Though the teacher glared at me today for correcting her… _again_."

"Yeah, well, you're sort of annoying, so I don't really blame her," he smirked down at her and the brunette narrowed her eyes at him.

"Oh look, I'm Troy and I'm so funny," she said with a manly voice and Troy rolled his eyes.

"Aren't you mature," he breathed out sarcastically, and Gabriella stuck out her tongue at him. He shook his head at her.

"And you're just bitter!" she accused him like she always does and her eyes widened in surprise when Troy suddenly coiled his arms around her waist and brought her in for a kiss. Now he knew the perfect way to shut her up before she started rambling about stupid things. She blinked twice before smiling into the kiss and placing her hands over his shoulders. He pulled back and arched an eyebrow at her. "Okay, m-maybe not so bitter," she admitted, stuttering a bit and smiling.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," he nodded his head and dropped his arms from around her waist before grabbing her hand. "Let's go, before you're late for work."

"Yeah, the thing is that we have a meeting with the guys of the Spring Ball," Gabriella said.

Troy frowned, confused. "I thought meetings were on Wednesdays?"

"Sharpay told me that they changed it over for today because Mrs. Darbus wanted to check on us, and that she couldn't stay on Wednesday because she had another doctor's appointment."

Troy groaned and let his head drop forward and onto Gabriella's shoulder. The brunette smiled and made her shoulder bounce to make him remove his head. "Come on, don't be such a baby," she scolded. He pulled back, reluctantly, and narrowed his eyes at the brunette, who only smiled bigger.

"You're the one sticking your tongue out at people," he reminded her.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Yeah, uh-huh," she pulled on his hand. "Let's go."

Letting out another groan, Troy let himself get dragged by Gabriella through the hallways until they reached the music room where their meetings had been taking place. Everyone was already there; the only one missing was Mrs. Darbus.

"Where are your flowers?" Troy asked her as the door closed behind them and everyone turned to look at them.

"In my locker," the brunette answered before Sharpay ran over to them and wrapped her arms around them both while squealing. Troy's eyes widened and Gabriella giggled.

"How's my favorite couple?" the blonde asked excitedly, jumping up and down.

"Don't touch me," Troy grumbled as the blonde pulled back. Gabriella squeezed his hand. He turned to look at her and rolled his eyes at the look she was giving him

"Oh, don't be such a grumpy ass, Bolton," Sharpay told him in a baby voice while patting his cheek, making Troy glare at her and slap her hand away. "Ow! So rude!"

"I told you not to touch me," he told her, monotonously.

"Gabriella!" Sharpay whined and the brunette rolled her eyes. _Okay, Sharpay and Troy are going to be a problem_, she concluded as Mrs. Darbus entered the room.

"Alright, people," Mrs. Darbus sighed as she walked over to the desk and placed her bag over it. "Let's get this over with, so I can go home and grade English papers," she said, leaning against the desk. She watched as everyone sat down on the floor, and watched curiously as Troy let go of Gabriella's hand and grabbed a chair to sit behind her. She bit back a smile as she saw how Gabriella laid her head back on the chair, between Troy's open legs, and stuck her tongue out at him, making him roll his eyes and shake his head at her. Mrs. Darbus cleared her throat.

"Okay, so how's everything going?" she asked, still eyeing the couple curiously. "Ms. Montez?"

The brunette looked up at her. "Oh, everything's almost done," she informed the teacher. "Sharpay and Kelsi already finished the playlist and Troy and I hired the DJ they told us about; we picked a Masquerade theme; we already have the invitation design, the table cloths, balloons, and napkins, so all Andy and Jacob have to do is order them, and Troy and I are in the middle of choosing a restaurant so we can order the food," she finished and Mrs. Darbus nodded, impressed.

"Okay, well, the Ball's on Saturday; are you staying on Friday to decorate?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Gabriella affirmed with a nod. "I got the Basketball team to stay and help too," she grinned and everyone turned to look at her with wide eyes, including Mrs. Darbus. Gabriella frowned confused and shrugged. "What? Chad owed me a favor," she explained. Troy chuckled at the innocent tone in her voice.

"Perfect, Ms. Montez," Mrs. Darbus congratulated her. "Anything else?" she asked and the brunette shook her head. "Okay, now for the reason why I asked you all to be here," the teacher announced, re-accommodating her bottle bottom glasses over her face. "Principal Matsui said that it was mandatory for you to come to the ball," she said and Gabriella's eyes went wide as Troy groaned.

"What?" Gabriella squeaked. "Why?"

"He said that if you want to get your extra points, you need to come and help the teachers look after the students," Mrs. Darbus told her.

"What if we can't come?" Troy asked from behind Gabriella.

"Then you won't get your points, Mr. Bolton."

"So, if we don't come, all the work we did would be for nothing," Troy frowned. "Jeez, isn't that just fair," he gave her a sarcastic smile as he leaned back against the backrest of the chair.

Mrs. Darbus narrowed her eyes at him and threw her scarf around her neck. "Well, I'm sorry Mr. Bolton, but there's nothing I can do about it. You either find a way to come, or you lose your points."

"Yay," he celebrated sarcastically, moving his pointer finger in circles.

* * *

><p>Gabriella sighed, brushing her fingers over the rose petals of the bouquet that Troy gave her as she rested her chin on her palm and her elbow over the counter. Jerry had lent her a vase to put them in water so they wouldn't dry.<p>

She looked up at the clock on the wall to see that Troy was running a little late. He had told her that he would pick her up right after work, like he always did, so they could finally decide which restaurant they should pick and then have the rest of the evening free. Though he was never late, Gabriella didn't worry, thinking that since he brought his car, he must have gotten stuck in a little traffic.

She bit her lower lip and let out a sigh, as she frowned. She didn't know what she was going to do. She didn't want to go to the freaking dance because she didn't have money to buy a dress, or even a mask. But then again, if it was only to look after her classmates, so she guessed that she could go in some jeans or something.

She continued to bite her lip as she stared at her beautiful roses. She had never been to a dance before, and it made her kind of sad that she would go in jeans to her first one. But, as long as Troy wasn't a total grump about it and was there with her, then she would be fine.

Gabriella looked up when she saw a black car park in front of the coffee shop by the corner of her eye and smiled as she recognized Troy's Audi. She took off her apron and put it away before taking the vase and her backpack, and making her way to the door; she would bring the vase back the next day.

"Leaving, Gabby?" she heard Jared ask and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes," she answered shortly without even turning to look at him. To say that she was still mad at him was an understatement.

Troy got out of the car and took off his aviator shades before shutting the car door behind him. He looked up to see that Gabriella was pushing the door open with her hip and rolled his eyes, rushing over to help her. He pulled the door open and quickly took her backpack that was starting to slide down her shoulder.

"Thanks," she smiled up at him and Troy shook his head.

"You couldn't have waited for me to help you?" he arched an eyebrow at the shorter girl and she shrugged.

"Nope," she gave him a smug smile and walked past him to get into his car. Troy sighed with a faint smiled as he shook his head at her again. His eyes travelled down her back to her hips and his faint smile turned into a smirk. He still couldn't believe that she was his.

* * *

><p>Troy watched as Gabriella sat on his bed Indian style while he sat on his desk chair with his feet resting at the end of his bed and his hands joined at the back of his neck. He watched as the brunette bit her lower lip and scratched her head with a pencil above his beanie –or more like <em>her <em>beanie, now.

They were far done with choosing the restaurant. It didn't take long, because, surprisingly, they both had the same opinion. They decided on Chef Turner's restaurant –Kate's Inn.

Now he was watching her, amused at how she was struggling with her math homework; it was no surprise why she needed those extra points.

"No," she shook her head. "Screw it, I can't figure this one out," she dropped her pencil and her notebook next to her and laid back on Troy's bed, letting out a frustrated growl. Troy arched an eyebrow and chuckled amusedly, making her glare at him. "Don't laugh at me, you ass!"

Troy didn't say anything and simply stood up before crawling on his king-size bed next to her. He took her notebook and pencil and looked over the problem before nodding.

"Okay, look," he told her and Gabriella sat back up, looking curiously at how Troy began scribbling down on her notebook. "You pass the X to the other side so you multiply it by Y1 and Y2, then you pass the Y to multiply it by X1 and X2," he explained and Gabriella's eyes brightened up in realization.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Yes, that's the part where I was getting stuck on! I thought that you had to divide instead of multiply," she told him.

"No, Cupcake, you can only multiply when you have this kind of equation," he told her, circling the equation. "If you want to divide, you would need…" he trailed off, flipping through her notebook until he found what he wanted. "To have this one."

"Ohhh," Gabriella nodded. "Fucking Bald-y couldn't have explained me that?!" she exclaimed, angrily. "Really? Is it that simple?"

Troy chuckled."Yes."

She sighed, shaking her head before taking her notebook back from his hands. "Thanks," she said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek.

Troy smiled at her before leaning back on his bed and placing his hands behind his head. "No problem, Cupcake."

There was a moment of silence between them. Troy closed his eyes and listened at Gabriella scribble away on her notebook and type down on her calculator. He began thinking of how much their relationship had changed in the past 2 weeks and a half. They passed from not talking to each other, to being something more than friends. He had passed from being a complete asshole to her, to help her with her math homework. He had passed from blocking her with a big wall, to admitting to her that his father had hit him.

And… it was weird for him. It was scary how easy it felt to be around her without having to worry that he was overstepping his boundaries. Everything felt…natural. It felt good.

He opened an eye as he heard her sigh and close her notebook. "Done," she breathed and turned to look at Troy, who closed his eye quickly. Gabriella smirked. "Oh, so you fell asleep?" she asked, knowing otherwise. Of course Troy didn't answer and continued breathing evenly.

He didn't hear how Gabriella took off her socks, or how she switched positions so she was sitting perpendicularly of him. She lifted his shirt up with her left hand and placed her cold feet over his toned stomach, making him gasp and sit up with wide eyes while grabbing her feet. Gabriella laughed.

"What the fuck, Gabriella?" he exclaimed, frowning at her. "Your feet are fucking cold!" the brunette continued to giggle as she leaned back on her elbows since Troy was still holding her feet up. "Why would you put your feet on my stomach?"

"Because you were pretending to be asleep and I wanted to make you jolt up and my feet are always cold," she explained with an innocent smile and Troy glared at her.

"Funny," he grumbled, before letting go off her feet, getting onto his knees and pulling Gabriella by her legs so he was in between. The brunette squealed, her eyes going slightly wide, and giggled as Troy began tickling her sides. She screamed and kicked her legs, squirming around trying to get away from him.

"Troy!" she squeaked, trying to push his hands off as she continued kicking her legs. "Troy, I swear I'm going to kill you!" she squealed again as he pinched her side and continued laughing.

Troy had a playful smirk on his face as his hands got underneath her shirt, tickling her naked skin. "Uh-huh," he said, sarcastically. "You and what army?"

"M-my t-two fists a-are enough!" she laughed as her eyes began watering. "Troy!" she whined as she began getting red.

"Are you gonna apologize?" Troy asked and the brunette shook her head, her mouth open as she continued to laugh. "No?"

"No!" she managed to get out and, as a response, Troy began tickling her faster and harder. She let out a scream and continued laughing. "Alright! Alright! I'm sorry!" she yelled out and Troy stopped, placing his hands at both sides of her head. He watched as her chest went up and down as she tried catching up her breath and he smirked as she slapped him on the chest.

"You… ass," she breathed.

"Why are your feet always cold?" he questioned curiously as his eyes roamed over her rosy cheeks and her slight parted lips.

Gabriella shrugged. "I…don't really …know," she said between breaths and licked her lips. She cleared her throat. "My dad says that my mom's feet were always cold too. The only time when they're not cold is when I'm in my bed," she told him and then shrugged, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm used to it by now."

Troy nodded. "Not even in summer?" he asked and Gabriella shook her head.

"Unless you take me to the beach," she said.

He lowered his head so their noses were touching; he heard her gulp and he smiled. "You're so weird," he murmured.

"I like being weird," she murmured back with her eyes locked to his. "What's the fun in being normal? I mean, the weirdest minds are always the ones to transcend. Have you ever heard of an average person to win the Nobel Prize? Because I haven't and-."

Troy rolled his eyes and pressed his lips down to hers, successfully shutting her up. The brunette closed her eyes and tightened her grip around his neck as Troy massaged her lips with his in a sweet, tender kiss. His tongue licked the bottom of her lip and she parted her lips, letting his tongue invade her mouth, letting him deepen the kiss like they couldn't the night Troy dropped her off.

Gently, Troy laid on top of her, pressing his body fully on hers and leaning on his elbows. She let out a low groan in pleasure as Troy's hand began caressing the right side of her face and neck, softly, as if he was trying to memorize how her skin felt.

His mouth left hers and trailed down to her jaw line and neck in soft butterfly kisses, causing Goosebumps to form in her skin. She bit her lower lip as he brushed the sweet spot in her neck with his lips, but instead of biting, like she thought he would, he pressed a kiss there before slowly moving up to the back off her ear. The air hitched in her throat as he lingered there for a few moments, causing him to smirk.

Troy memorized every single sound she made depending on the zone he was, evaluating the speed of her breathing as he move to different parts of her neck and face. He placed another kiss behind her ear, making her moan softly. He swore that he could feel the fast beating of her heart against his chest, matching his own; but of course that could only be his imagination.

He felt her hands travel to his shoulders as he pressed his nose to her hair and inhaled deeply; it smelled of coconut and vanilla; maybe like coffee too, but he thought that that was because of the Coffee Shop. Her skin smelled of something else, he thought as his nose travelled back down to her neck, causing her to intake a shaky breath; he couldn't exactly name it, but it smelled sweet and nice; she smelled like…Gabriella, he concluded lamely. When he was done analyzing her, he opened his eyes and slowly pulled back to see that Gabriella still had her eyes closed and that she was biting her lower lip, but as she felt that he was no longer lingering around her neck, she opened her eyes and stared up at him with a foggy gaze.

Troy stared at her emotionless for a second before grinning at her. Gabriella blinked twice, still dazed by Troy's gentle touch; her heart was beating extremely fast and she felt unusually hot. She cleared her throat softly and gulped as Troy continued to grin at her.

"That's it?" she managed to ask, making Troy chuckle and lean down to peck her lips.

"You want more?" he mumbled against her lips and Gabriella nodded.

"It's nice," she murmured, making Troy smile and pull back a bit so he could look at her face. She moved her hand from his shoulder to move his fringe out of his eyes. "You need a haircut," she said.

Troy rolled his eyes. "I like it this way."

"Yeah, but you would look very sexy if you got it short on the sides and a little longer on the top," she told him, and smiled when he pressed another kiss on her lips.

"I'm keeping it this way," he informed her and Gabriella gave him a nod.

"Suit yourself," she grinned at him and brushed her fingers through his hair. "But I'm gonna nag you until you do, Cinnamon Roll."

"Oh, I know you will," he said, rolling his eyes.

The brunette bit her lower lip while smiling and cocked her head to the side to look at him better. She placed the hand that was running through his hair back on his shoulder and squeezed it gently.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did," Troy teased and the brunette gave him a look. He sighed. "We both know you're still gonna ask even if I say no, so go ahead."

Gabriella giggled and passed her tongue over her lips before turning serious. "Why did you change your mind about us?" she questioned and watched Troy blink twice before letting out a puff of air.

"The truth?" he asked and the brunette nodded. "Annie convinced me," he told her and the brunette raised her eyebrows.

"Annie convinced you," she repeated, giving him a funny look. He nodded and pecked her lips again.

"She told me that I deserve to be happy," he told the brunette, surprised that being open wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be. It felt weird. "That I shouldn't listen to what my father says."

Gabriella frowned. "Why wouldn't you deserve to be happy?" she asked, clearly feeling confused, and slightly angry at Jack Bolton. "Why would your father say that?"

Troy sighed. "It's a long story," he said. The brunette opened her mouth to protest but Troy kissed her again to prevent her for asking further questions. He pulled back and smiled at Gabriella's frown. "A story that if you're patient, I would…like to tell you someday."

The brunette let out a soft sigh, still frowning. "Fine," she agreed. She knew not to push him; she believed in his word. "But if I ever see your dad I'm going to kick his ass," she warned him, making Troy chuckle.

"That won't happen," he assured her. "I won't let him near you."

Gabriella's frown softened with his words and she grimaced. "He's hurt you a lot, hasn't he?" she asked with a low and soothing voice. Troy shrugged, averting his gaze from hers so she couldn't see the hurt that flashed through his eyes. She placed her hand on his cheek to make him look at her. Their eyes locked for a second before she leaned up and captured his lips with hers, putting all her feelings into that kiss, letting him know that she wasn't going anywhere. And that's all Troy needed to realize that she would be the only girl that he would ever want to be with.

The short girl pulled back and Troy rested his forehead against hers with his eyes still closed; he took in a breath and sighed –it had been so long since he last felt this peaceful.

"So," the brunette broke the silence, re-accommodating her arms around his neck. "Does this mean that I get to put that I'm on a relationship on Facebook?" she asked with a small smile, feeling the need to lighten up the mood. Troy opened his eyes and pulled his head back.

He looked down at her innocent face and her lame attempt to lighten up the mood, and smiled. "If you must know, yes," he affirmed.

Gabriella's smile grew into a big grin and opened her mouth to reply, but before she could even emit a single sound, the door suddenly opened. "Mr. Bolton, Annie told me to tell you-," Nicole's eyes widened as she saw the position of the two teens and quickly covered her eyes with her hands. "Oh my Goodness, I'm so sorry, Mr. Bolton!" she squeaked mortified, as Troy quickly got off Gabriella. "I should've knocked!"

Troy glared at his maid and Gabriella sat up, blushing. "Yes, you should have!" he growled. "Now get out and tell Annie we'll be downstairs in a minute," he told her. Still covering her eyes, Nicole moved her hand around till she found the doorknob and quickly closed the door behind her. When she was gone Gabriella groaned and leaned her forehead against Troy's shoulder.

"Every time!" she complained.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Taa daa! 9000 words! What about that?! Lol**

**Hey guys, I'm so sorry for the wait, but guess what! My inspiration came back and I literally finished this in two days. Yes, I know, it was about time. I'm so sorry for the wait. (LOL, I loved whoever commented with the name Mary as Guest and put "I have to update!" made my day xD)**

**I still don't like this chapter very much, but I thought that some Troyella fluff would be good. Next chapter it'll be the Spring Ball, some Annie hormonal drama, and I was thinking that I could enlight you all up as in to why Tom came back to Albuquerque and where his fiancée is. You know, a calm chapter before the storm. *mysterious smirk***

**You're gonna hate me in the final 5 chapters. *Smirk* I gotta tell you, it's going to be very emotional. It's the whole climax of the story, the chapters that I couldn't stop thinking about when I first started writing this story. But don't worry, you're gonna like it. **

…**or not…**

**Anyway, you're probably wondering that the title doesn't have to do much with the chapter (Originally it was supposed to be called 'Cold Feet'), and the reason is that I'm dedicating this chapter to Jenni Rivera (and that's one of her songs), a Mexican singer that died yesterday at 3 AM in a plane crash. I wasn't a big fan of her music; I was more a fan of her person. I don't know why, but I simply had the need to do this. I never met her, but I believe that she was an extraordinary woman. Rest in Peace. 1969-2012. **

***Clears throat* Anyhow, since there's going to be a big solar…storm (don't know the term in English), on December 21****st****, 22****nd**** and 23****rd****, there's going to be no electricity at all. (From what I've heard) I'm not saying it's the end of the world or anything, but with those big solar waves, most satellites are going to get screwed, so… goodbye internet (at least for a good amount of time). So I'll try to hurry up and have the last 6 chapters up by December 20****th****. That's going to be hella hard, but I'll try. **

**Sorry for Grammar and Spelling mistakes, you know my English isn't perfect. **

**Please don't forget to leave a review behind! **

**Lots of love,**

**Mary. **


	20. Spring Ball

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Nineteen _

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**. **

**Last Chapter: A little flashback of how Annie got to the Bolton's house; Troy got flowers for his mom and Gabriella and he went to the graveyard; Austin stalked Gabriella at her locker with some daisies, kissed her, Gabriella slapped him, Troy showed up to claim her as his *romantic sigh xD* and Austin ran away like the scared puppy he is; Darbus told them that it was necessary to go to the Spring Ball, which got Gabriella upset because she didn't have the money to buy a dress; uhhh…. Troy helped Gabriella with her math, had a cute little moment of tickling and kissing, told her that they were a couple, and then Nicole walked in on them in an awkward position xD. Uhhh… I believe that's it! xD **

* * *

><p>"Are you ever going to forgive me?" Troy breathed out as he rested his cheek on his fist. He saw as Annie shrugged her shoulders and rolled his eyes. She had been bitching at him since Monday and even though he couldn't blame her, he was getting tired of her hormonal drama. "Annie, I've apologized all week, what more do you want?" he asked. The cook shrugged again and Troy groaned. "Do you want me to beg?"<p>

Without saying a single word, Annie turned away from the stove and placed a plate of fresh and hot pancakes in front of Troy. She turned back around and made her way over to the cupboard, standing on the tip of her toes to try to reach for the maple syrup. Troy rolled his eyes and stood up when he saw that she wouldn't reach it any time soon and made his way over to his pregnant cook. He took the maple syrup and handed it to her. The cook took it from his hands without looking at him and put it over the kitchen island.

"Uh, you're welcome?" Troy made an exaggerated hand gesture and then sighed when Annie glared at him with her hands on her hips. "Annie, come on! When are you going to stop giving me the silent treatment?"

"Eat your pancakes," she told the teen, walking over to the stove and grabbing the pan and the container she had used to make the pancake mixture. She placed them in the sink and started washing them.

"Fine! Be that way!" he raised his hands up in surrender and sat back down at the counter. He picked up his fork and began eating. After the second bite, his eyes widened and he spit out a piece of pancake. "You put banana in them!" he exclaimed.

The cook smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said calmly, scrubbing the pan. _Pay back_, she thought.

"Are you trying to poison me?" he coughed, standing up and reaching for the orange juice carton that was in the fridge, drinking directly from it. Annie quickly dried her hands with the dish cloth tucked in her apron before snatching the juice carton from the teen. "Annie!"

"No one wants your mouth germs in the juice," Annie told him. She walked back to the cupboard and grabbed a cup, pouring juice in it before handing it to Troy. She put the juice carton back in the fridge and went back to the sink. "I didn't know you hated bananas," she blatantly lied and Troy narrowed his eyes at her.

"It's not funny," he growled.

"Well it wasn't funny that I had to find out that you made Gabriella your girlfriend from Nicole, either," she said, placing the pan and the bowl in the dish rack. "Or that you expected me to figure it out by myself when you walked in holding hands, and then blamed me for it because I didn't notice," she continued to rant, grabbing her dishcloth and wiping the edge of the sink with it. "Or that you had all weekend to tell me, since apparently it happened last Friday, but decided against it," she tucked her dishcloth back between her apron and waist and turned to look at Troy, who was still in front of the fridge with his untouched cup of juice. She placed her right hand on her waist as she leaned against the sink with the other and narrowed her eyes at him. "So you're not getting any other breakfast from me besides those banana pancakes."

Troy blinked at her before letting out a puff of air. "Fine," he gave her a bitter smile and put the cup on the counter. "I'm not hungry, anyway," he said, annoyance and anger starting to show in the tone of his voice. Annie's glare softened a bit as she saw him starting for the door. "I was stupid, I apologized and put up with your bitchy attitude," he said. "I understand that you're pissed, but, honestly, I'm no longer in the mood to deal with your hormonal drama –yes, I said it!" he pushed the door open and turned around, in time to see her gape at him and place her hand on her pregnant belly. "So, I'm gonna go out, because I need to do something, and then I'll come back to get ready for the stupid dance I'm forced to attend, and I hope that by then you have taken a chill pill, because you're driving me crazy," he faked another smile at her before disappearing through the door.

* * *

><p>Gabriella sat on her couch, eating a bowl of cereal as she watched one of her favorite series on Warner Channel –F.R.I.E.N.D.S. She had watched all ten seasons and knew most of the episodes by heart, but she still laughed as hard as the first time she watched them. She giggled as Joey and Chandler discussed about why Joey was using Chandler's toothbrush and took another spoonful of cereal.<p>

It was her first free weekend, since she had gone back to her normal schedule in the Coffee Shop and she didn't have to complete her hours on the weekends. So she was making the most of it by sitting on her couch with her blue pajamas on and a messy bun as she ate her favorite cereal.

"_Hey, why can't we use the same toothbrush, but we can use the same…soap_," Gabriella quoted along with Joey.

"_Because soap is soap! It's self cleaning_!" she quoted in response with Chandler and giggled.

"_Yeah, well next time you take a shower, think about the last thing I wash and the first thing you wash!"_ she laughed again.

"I cannot believe you still remember that," Thomas said, sitting down next to his sister with a coffee mug. "I haven't watched FRIENDS since that weekend marathon we had when dad bought the ten seasons package."

"Yeah, well, I watch FRIENDS every time it's on, so…" Gabriella shrugged, chewing.

Tom blew on his coffee before taking a sip. "You never get bored?"

His sister faked a gasp. "How can someone ever get bored of FRIENDS?" she asked. "It's like The Big Bang Theory, you watch the same episode three hundred times and you still laugh!"

Tom rolled his eyes. "You're such a dork."

"And you're a loser," she replied, taking another spoonful of cereal. "Before you go back to California, we should have another marathon," the brunette said. "When are you going back, by the way? Not that I don't like having you here, because I missed you, but I'm just curious. I mean, I bet Diana isn't too happy that you left her there all by herself while she's in the middle of planning your wedding."

Tom shook his head at his sister, giving her a sad smile. "Diana and I broke up," he told her, taking another sip of his hot coffee. Gabriella's eyes widened and she almost choked on her cereal.

"What!" she exclaimed, coughing. "What do you mean you broke up? Why?" she asked, leaving her cereal bowl on the coffee table and turning her body towards him. "What did you do?" she frowned. "You didn't cheat on her, did you? Because even though I never really liked her, that's really cruel! Is that the reason why you came home?" she ranted. "Does dad know?"

Gabriella's brother waited until she finished her rant, before he answered. "Yes, dad knows, and no, I didn't cheat on her; I wouldn't do that," he said. "It's more complicated than that, Gabby."

"Did_ she_ cheat on you?" Gabriella questioned her brother with a frown. "Oh, because if she did, I don't care that I'm only 17 and that she's 25! I'll go over and beat her ass!"

Tom rolled his eyes. "No, she didn't cheat either," he said.

"Then why did you break up?" the brunette asked, clearly feeling confused. "I mean, Tom, you were going to marry this girl. You guys were really in love! I could see it!" she exclaimed. "What, you suddenly stopped loving her?"

"No," he frowned at his sister. "Gabby, I do love her! You have no idea how much I love her, it's just that…" he trailed off and sighed.

"That what?" Gabriella urged him to continue. "Come on, Thomas, I may be only 17, but I'm not a baby; you know you can trust me. You know I'm more mature than any other girl my age and you know why."

The brown eyed man sighed. "I know," he said before making a small pause, pondering for a moment. "If I tell you, you have to promise to act like I didn't tell you anything, okay? Dad made me promise to keep it a secret. At least for a while."

As soon as those words came out of Tom's mouth, Gabriella began getting worried. "Thomas, what's going on?"

He sighed again. "About a month ago, dad called me," he told his sister. "He told me that he hadn't found a new job yet, and that you were juggling with two jobs so you could buy his medicine. He told me that you barely had time to do your homework and study; that sometimes you would get home and you wouldn't even make it to your room so you crashed on the couch," he said. "I didn't like that one bit, but I didn't yell at dad about it or anything because I knew that he was already feeling horrible about it," he paused, placing his mug on the coffee table next to Gabriella's cereal bowl. "He asked me for help, Gabby –something that he had never done; he knew I was barely starting to work and was saving pennies for my wedding, so I knew that he was desperate. Of course I told him I would help him; so I talked to my boss so he would transfer me here to Albuquerque, and surprisingly he agreed, and then I talked to Diana about moving," he bit his lips together and Gabriella grabbed his hand, sensing that he was starting to feel upset.

"She told me that her whole life was in L.A; that she had her parents and her friends and her job," he said, looking at the TV screen. "I told her that I had my friends too and my job and her and a lot of things in L.A, but that my family needed me and that I needed her to support me with it. I mean, she was my fiancée, my best friend, my life partner…"

"I'm sorry, Tommy," Gabriella murmured, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb.

"So it really broke my heart when she told me that she couldn't come with me," he continued. "But, I understood, of course –she had never lived anywhere but in L.A and it must be scary for someone like her to leave everything behind. I told her that I didn't know how long I was going to be gone… so… we decided to break it off," he finished.

They stayed quiet for a moment, before Gabriella scooted closer to him and hugged him around the shoulders. "I'm sorry, Tom, I'm so, so, sorry."

Tom placed his hand on his sister's back. "Hey, it's fine, Gabby, really."

"No, it's not," Gabriella shook her head, pulling back. "Because of me you broke up with Diana, it's not fair! I mean-."

"Don't say that, Gabriella Anne! That's bullshit!" Tom frowned at his sister. "You're my sister and I love you, and I love dad too. You guys needed my help, and I'm here! You two are my family and if Diana wasn't able to understand that, then maybe she's not the girl for me. So stop talking bullshit, because it's not right!" he scolded his little sister.

"Well, I still feel guilty, Thomas. Because, yes, even though it's hard to juggle with two jobs and school, I've managed to do it for 7 months now!" she informed her brother.

"Gabriella, you're 17 years old," Tom told her. "You're supposed to go out with your friends, complain about homework, be able to sleep late on weekends; you're not supposed to act like a teen mom, by having two jobs and barely passing school."

"But-."

"No buts, Gabriella! I know you're doing it for dad, and that you don't mind," he said. "I know that you would even take a bullet for him and not expect anything in return; I would too," he told her. "But I'm here now, you don't have to do it by your own anymore; we're two people, okay? All I want is for you to have a normal teenage life, like the one I had. It's not fair that you're dealing with this on your own."

The brunette stayed quiet for a moment before letting out a sigh. "I'm not going to lie," the brunette said. "I do get tired. Even when dad had a job, I always had to make sure that he took his pill on time every day, and I would get scared as hell when he would have one of his catatonic stupor episodes," she told him, looking down to her hands. "He's getting worse, though. Three weeks ago he had a real schizophrenic episode."

Tom frowned and sat up straighter. "What do you mean by a 'real schizophrenic episode'?"

"He's starting to hear voices, Tom," Gabriella told his brother. "You know that that never used to happen. Or at least he never told us. Last night I heard him argue with someone named Jason, and he wasn't on the phone. The stress of not having a job seems to be the thing that's getting him worse," she said. "I mean, I know that his savings are starting to run out and… I'm starting to get scared. Even with you here, I feel that I_ need_ to keep working."

"Gabriella, not only the stress of not having a job is what is making him get worse," Tom said. "It's also the fact that he's seeing you work your ass off for him. I _know_, he's told me!" he explained. "Gabby, the whole point of me being here is so you could at least quit one of your jobs! We'll make it through, don't worry; the Montez family always makes it through, okay? Dad will be fine; the three of us will be fine, do you understand?"

Gabriella sighed and nodded her head, leaning her head on her brother's shoulder so he could hug her. "Everything will be fine, Gabby," Tom reassured her. "So forget about Diana, forget about being a problem for me, and forget about acting like a mom. We're in this together. You're not alone."

Gabriella wouldn't admit it to anyone, but as Tom said those final words to her, she felt like a huge burden was being lifted off her shoulders. She would be able to quit at least one of her jobs and have a little more time to do her homework and study for her exams.

"Question," Gabriella said after a while of being in silence and going back to watching FRIENDS. "Won't dad notice that you told me when he sees that I quit one of my jobs?"

Tom blinked twice. "Uh, well he knew that at some point I would have to tell you. I mean, that's one of the main reasons why I came. He just didn't want you to be mad at him," he said.

"I'm not mad at him," Gabriella mumbled.

"I know," Tom said, rubbing her arm. "I told him that, but he still wanted me to wait before I told you."

"I understand," Gabriella commented. "Thanks for telling me. And again, I'm sorry about Diana."

Tom sighed. "Me too, trust me," he squeezed her arm softly a couple of times. "And stop thinking that it was your fault. She's just not the person I thought she was."

* * *

><p>Troy let out a puff of air as he turned off his car. He took his aviator shades off and looked up to see a black gate with a golden oval in the middle where you could read 'Evans Residency' in black cursive letter. <em>Tacky<em>, he thought as he rolled his eyes and got out of his car. He walked over to the gate and before ringing the bell, he took a breath.

"Here goes nothing," he mumbled and pressed the button.

"Yes?" a man's voice sounded through the speaker next to the doorbell and Troy arched an eyebrow –and people thought _he_ was rich?

"Good morning, Sir, is Sharpay here?" Troy asked the man from the speaker.

"Who's looking for her?" the man's nasal voice asked.

"Troy Bolton, from school," he informed him, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"Troy Bolton," he repeated and Troy heard some papers shuffling around. "I'm sorry Mr. Bolton, but there is no record that says you would come -."

He was suddenly cut off and Troy heard some more noise, papers shuffling, some grunting and a scolding yell and Troy raised his eyebrows. _The hell?_ He thought. For a moment he thought that the pour man was being murdered until he heard another voice.

"Hi, Troy!" Sharpay's squeaky and perky voice sounded through the speaker and the blue eyed boy winced. "Sorry about Jonathan! He takes his job too seriously. I'll be down there in a minute!" she told him. "Don't go anywhere!"

"Take your time," Troy spoke in his monotone voice. "Take forever if you need," he mumbled under his breath and scratched his forehead. He looked up to sky, sighing. How did he get convinced about this, again? Oh right…

_Troy walked calmly out of the boy locker rooms after P.E class, ready to go looking for his girlfriend of almost a week so he could walk her to her next class. It was Friday, the day before the Spring Ball, and there was just two more classes left before the day was finally over. Not that he would ever admit it out loud, but he was dying to see Gabriella. Now that he was more open with her, he actually longed to be with her every minute he could. She was like a new drug he couldn't get enough of. He wanted to see her stick her tongue out at him, mock him with her 'manly' voice, giggle and smile at him._

_The blue eyed teen was too engrossed in his little world, that he didn't notice when a small blonde grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him into an empty classroom. _

_He blinked twice and frowned, turning around to see that no other but Sharpay Evans was locking the classroom's door behind her. "What the fuck, Evans?!" he growled. _

_She turned around with her hands on her hips. "I need to talk to you, Bolton," she told the teen, ignoring the sudden murderous look that took place on his face, the same look that would make any other person run away in panic; but at that moment, Sharpay swallowed the lump in her throat and decided to ignore the most feared guy in her school. _

"_No, you don't," he told her. "Now unlock the fucking door." _

"_No," she replied. "I'm afraid I can't do that until I've talked to you!" _

_Troy rolled his eyes and pushed the blonde to a side, making her squeak in shock, and he unlocked the door before stepping out. He didn't take more than five steps when the blonde appeared in front of him once again. _

"_Hear me out!" she commanded the boy. "It won't take longer than five minutes!"_

_Troy glared at her. Where the hell did she get the guts to actually approach him? She knew perfectly well not to do it. Only because he was dating his forbidden fruit, it didn't mean that he had to be friends with her friends. "Look Blondie, the fact that I'm dating Gabriella, doesn't make me your friend," he decided to voice out his thoughts to the blonde. "Now move." _

_The blonde glared back at him with her hands on her hips. "I'm not trying to befriend you, you stupid!" she exclaimed, making Troy's glare deepen._

"_Call me that, again; I dare you, Blondie," he snarled. _

_Sharpay's glare softened and she gulped a bit, staring into his scary and deep blue eyes, before blinking a couple of times and clearing her throat. "Look, Bolton, I'm not looking for trouble. I just really need to talk to you," she told him, and as he opened his mouth to reply, she spoke again. "It's about Gabriella."_

_After she said those three words, Troy's glare quickly left his face and Sharpay knew that at that moment, Troy would be willing to listen to her. He hesitated for a second of two, before sighing in defeat and the blonde bit back a victorious smile. _

"_Fine, Blondie," he grumbled. "I'll give you five minutes." _

_Sharpay nodded. "That's all I need." _

"_Good," he stated, sarcastically. "Start talking." _

"_Okay, look, you just _can't _agree on going in jeans and a nice shirt to the dance with Gabriella!" Sharpay started and Troy arched his eyebrows at her. _

"_Is that what this is about? Please tell me you're fucking with me," he said, crossing his arms. _

"_No, I'm not! I'm serious!" she answered. "She may seem like she doesn't care and made you believe that it would be fun and crap, but-."_

"_Sharpay, what Gabriella and I agree to do is none of your business," Troy told her. _

"_I know, Bolton, it's not that," the blonde countered. "Look, Gabriella's been like my best friend these past few days; Taylor's been wacko lately and Gabriella's the one who's been helping me and stuff, so I really care about her. All I'm saying is that, even though she seems to not care about not having the money to buy a dress, she _does_ care," she told him. "Troy, it's Gabriella's first school dance, and I know it means a lot to her; I mean, Chad told me and he's like her super best friend!"_

_Troy arched an eyebrow at that. "He is?" _

"_Not the point!" Sharpay rolled her eyes. "The thing is that she's a girl, a weird one, but she is. And as girls, we care about this kind of things. You can't tell me you haven't seen it in her eyes that she's trying too hard to look at the bright side," she said and Troy had to give her that one; he had noticed something weird in her eyes every time they spoke about the stupid Spring Ball. "She wants a normal school dance, Bolton." _

_Troy thought about it for a moment before letting out a slow sigh. "Fine," he said and the blonde grinned at him. It was his Gabriella, after all. "What do I do?" _

Troy snapped out of his thoughts as he heard the black gate open and close and he looked up to see his girlfriend's friend skipping happily towards him. Yup, it was going to be torture. He could handle his girlfriend's excitement, simply because of the fact that she was his girlfriend; Sharpay was a whole new level.

"So, are you sure you know her dress size and her shoe size, Blondie?" Troy asked for the thousandth time as he parked his car in the mall's parking lot.

Sharpay rolled her eyes as she took off her seatbelt. "Yes, Bolton, how many times do I have to tell you that? I looked through her clothes and her shoes when I was at her house yesterday after we finished decorating the gym."

Troy gave her a look before shaking his head. "You're a creep," he told her before getting out and leaving a gaping blonde behind. He was this close of going nuts and they hadn't even started looking through dresses yet. Gabriella had told him that Taylor had told her that Sharpay was a shopping freak, and unfortunately he was about to confirm that himself.

He took his aviator shades off and waited for the blonde to get out of the car before they started for the mall, and as soon as they were inside, he blinked shocked at how quick Sharpay ran into the first dress shop she found. He took a deep breath, looked up to the ceiling, looking for his mother's help, and then sighed before walking into the store that Sharpay had disappeared into. At least she was smart enough to not drag him in by his arm or something –he would've bitch-slapped her.

He rubbed his face as he saw that Sharpay already had ten different dresses in her arms; the things he did for Gabriella. The blonde approached the grumpy teen and started showing him the dresses that she had picked out for her friend.

"If she throws the dress at my face, saying she's not my charity case, I'm going to kill you, Blondie," Troy grumbled at her as he looked at the purple dress that Sharpay was holding up for him to see.

"She won't, Bad-Boy," Sharpay rolled her eyes and Troy arched an eyebrow at her nickname for him.

"Don't call me that," he told her. "And that dress if fucking hideous. I know Gabriella enough to know that she won't wear that," he crossed his arms as the blonde narrowed her eyes at him.

"Well I'm sorry, but I'm not choosing dresses depending on what she likes! If I did, I would pick a black one and be done within 3 seconds! I'm choosing dresses depending on how great they would look on her," she informed her friend's boyfriend. "I mean the color suits her skin tone perfectly and just look at the cut!"

Troy gave the blonde a look. "Do I look like the type of person who cares about the stupid cut?" he asked her.

"You're the worst shopping partner ever," Sharpay told him, hanging the purple dress back on the place where she found it before holding up the blue dress in her arm.

"No," he stated quickly.

"But Gabriella's favorite color's blue!" the blonde exclaimed.

"I said 'no'," Troy replied monotonously and the blonde growled.

"I do not understand how Gabriella puts up with you!" she told him and Troy raised his eyebrows at her, unimpressed. He took the dresses from her arms.

"Let's make this quick, shall we?" he gave her a sarcastic smile and looked at a white dress. "No," he put it back in Sharpay's arms and held up a bottle-green one. "No," he said and the blonde scoffed. He held up a pink dress and he couldn't help but chuckle. "Hell no."

"Bolton, you're not even imagining them on her!" Sharpay exclaimed.

"No, no, and no," he put the rest of the dresses in her arms. "Next store," he told the blonde before turning around and exiting the dress store, which he didn't even bother reading the name of. Sharpay let out an exasperated growl and quickly put the dresses away before she stomped out of the store after the annoying blue eyed teen.

After two hours of entering random stores, arguing about the dresses that Sharpay would pick out, and snarling at each other, Troy finally had enough. He couldn't believe that he was shopping with the girl he has disliked since he was in kinder garden. If he hadn't fallen into Gabriella's stupid spell, he wouldn't be caught in that situation that had his liver growing larger and larger with each passing second. He felt sorry for Sharpay's poor and naïve boyfriend, Zeke. He wondered how he hadn't dumped her yet.

He stepped out of the store and took another deep breath, trying to calm himself down and trying to remember that Gabriella was the reason why he was doing this in the first place. If someone told him a couple of months ago that he would be stuck in a mall with Sharpay Evans shopping for dresses, he would have laughed his ass off.

He walked over to the railing that was in front of the store and leaned on it, closing his eyes in the process. As he did, he imagined how Gabriella's face would look like after he showed her the dress. He imagined her eyes going wide, her jaw dropping as she gasped and then he imagined her slapping him on the chest while smiling joyfully.

That's all it took for him to gain his strength back. God, the things that girl did to him. He had never imagined that someone would ever have that much influence on him like she did. "I'm doomed," he mumbled with a sour chuckle and rubbed his face with his palm.

"Bolton, we're not done yet!" Sharpay squeaky voice said behind him and Troy gritted his teeth. _Patience, Troy, patience_, he reminded himself before turning around and nodding at her.

"I know, Evans," he grumbled and then they walked into another store. _Stupid bitch from hell, I'm not stupid_, he thought.

"Okay, since you don't like anything of what I've chosen, why don't you help me look?" the blonde asked, walking over to a rack of dresses and waving Troy over. The blue eyed teen bit his tongue roughly to release some of his annoyance and rolled his eyes, making his way over to Sharpay.

The two of them began searching through the dresses in silence and Troy felt grateful for not having to listen to her annoying, squeaky and perky voice. He kept imagining Gabriella's surprised face, and how important this stupid dance thing was to her. He honestly didn't give a crap, and was kind of looking forward to the idea of going in jeans with Gabriella. But he knew that Sharpay was right, Gabriella was different from other girls, but, at the end, she was still a girl.

He thought of what Sharpay had told him the day before about Chad being Gabriella's best friend. He knew they were friends, but he never imagined that they were that close. He knew that Chad wouldn't tell her anything about how his mother died, but somehow it still made him feel uneasy.

"Is Chad really Gabriella's best friend?" the question slipped out of Troy's mouth before he could stop it.

Sharpay stopped looking through the dresses and arched an eyebrow at Troy, curiously. "Uh, yes, I guess," she said before turning her attention back to the rack of dresses. "I mean, they whisper between each other a lot, they have their inside jokes and they have those weird Saturday night hang outs; I don't hang around Gabriella that much. Oh, and it's funny because every time Gabriella makes Chad laugh, Taylor gets really jealous!" Sharpay giggled and Troy frowned. The blonde didn't notice and continued talking. "I mean, if Chad wasn't totally in love with Taylor and Gabriella wasn't like totally dumbfounded by you and your cocky attitude, I'd say that those two liked each other."

"Hm," Troy hummed, still frowning.

"There's also the fact that every time that Taylor tried to talk shit of you to try and convince Gabriella that you were dangerous, Chad would shut her up," Sharpay added.

"Dangerous?" Troy asked impassively, looking at the brown eyed blonde.

"Okay, maybe not dangerous, more like not suitable for her," Sharpay corrected and finally took a dress out. It was hot pink with a huge ribbon on the front. "What about this-."

"No," Troy cut her off. "We're not looking for a dress for you, Blondie," he reminded her and the blonde pouted.

After exiting another store without any luck, the two teenagers decided to take a break and have something to eat. Troy took out his cell phone to see that it was 2:30 in the afternoon and that they only had like an hour left to look for a dress, since Troy had to go get ready first before he headed off to Gabriella's house. He sighed and put his iPhone back into his pocket before he looked up.

His eyes suddenly posed on something and he stopped in his tracks, grabbing Sharpay by the back of her pink shirt to stop her as well. "Hey! Be careful! It's Prada!" she exclaimed. "What!" she then asked annoyed.

Troy didn't answer and just rolled his eyes before pointing at the thing that had caught his attention. Sharpay turned her head to look at what Troy was pointing and she gasped dramatically, her right hand going up to her lips.

"That one," the both agreed.

* * *

><p>After dropping Sharpay off at her house and driving off to his to get ready, he parked in front of Gabriella's house around 5:30 PM. The dress he had picked out was hanging in the back seat along with the shoes that Sharpay quickly picked out to go with it and… something else that Troy had bought at the mall.<p>

Luckily, they didn't have to be in school before everyone else to finish the last details. Since they did most of the work, the rest of the 'Spring Ball Team' decided to give them the night off and do it themselves.

The blue eyed teen got out of his car and took the dress and shoes out from the back seat before he made his way to the Montez front porch. He just really hoped that she wouldn't get mad; he would kill Sharpay if she did. Troy rang the doorbell, carefully to not drop the dress, and waited a couple of seconds before Tom opened the door.

The 27 year old brown eyed guy looked at Troy with an arched eyebrow. "I thought the dance started at seven?" he crossed his arms.

"It does," Troy replied calmly..

"Yeah, well, Gabriella barely got into the shower, so…" Tom stared him down. "You want to leave or…?"

"Thomas," a scolding voice sounded behind him and Tom rolled his eyes as Gabriella's father showed up behind him. He gave Troy a curt smile. "Troy, aren't you a little early?"

"A little?" Tom mumbled sarcastically.

"Yes, uh, sorry," Troy cleared his throat. "But I, uh, I brought Gabriella something," he told the Montez men, lifting the dress bag that he was holding on his left shoulder and the shoe box in his right hand.

Tom and Gregory shared a quick glance before turning back to look at Troy with surprised expressions on his faces. "Let me see that," Tom frowned, taking the bag from Troy's hand and Troy had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from saying a smartass comment to his girlfriend's brother.

Instead, he settled for a simple. "Sure, go ahead."

Tom zipped the black bag open and his eyes widened when he saw the white and red dress that was inside. Gregory's expression was no different from his son's as he also took a peek inside the bag. They both looked up at Troy and the teen felt the need to take a step back at the intensity of their gaze.

He cleared his throat. "What?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck.

Gabriella turned off the shower and sighed contently as she reached for her blue, fluffy towel and wrapped it around her naked body. She loved taking showers. Yes, sometimes she got lazy once in a while and wouldn't shower for two or three days, but that was usually when she was in summer vacations and would lay in bed all day watching movies. She usually loved the feeling of being clean. She stepped out of the shower and wiped the steam of mirror to look at her reflection; she stared at her pink nose and rolled her eyes –she hated having a pink nose right after showering. She sighed and took her red brush and passed it quickly over her wild wet curls, flatting them out. Deciding that, since she wasn't going to have a pretty dress, she should at least fix her hair properly. She took her hair dryer and a round brush and started doing her hair.

When she was done, she ran her fingers through her hair and then grabbed her brush to finish untangling it. When she was sure that she liked how her hair looked, she sprayed some hairspray on to keep it from frizzing later. She smiled at her reflection and then proceeded to look for her make-up bag. She frowned when she didn't find it in its usual place and rolled her eyes, remembering that she had taken it to her room to finish getting ready for school because Thomas had to use the bathroom.

The brunette tightened the towel around her body before opening the bathroom door and walking across the hall to her room. She quickly spotted her make-up bag on her dressing table and as she went to grab it, something lying on her bed caught her eye.

She blinked a couple of times as she looked at the dress and shoes that were lying on her bed and then frowned confused. Where the hell did they come out from? She walked over to her bed and picked up the dress. It was strapless; the boob area was completely white and the rest of it was blood red. It was tight at the waist and the rest was wavy. It was the kind of dress that she would buy; she loved it. It was beautiful.

"Oh my Gosh, dad," she murmured, unable to tear her eyes away from the cocktail dress. _It must've cost him a fortune, _she thought as she bit her lower lip. She sighed, starting to feel guilty; they were barely hanging on with the money they had and he bought her a dress, and not just _a_ dress, but _the_ dress. For her, it was perfect.

She suddenly started feeling angry. How could he even think about buying her a dress in the situation they were? Tom hadn't received his pay check yet and they were still struggling with the groceries and the medicines. Was he really that stupid to buy something that she didn't need? How much could a dress like that one cost? Like 700 dollars?

"DAD!" she yelled, making her way out of her room with the dress still in her hands. "GREGORY ÁLVARO MONTEZ!" she yelled again as she stomped down the stairs, still in her towel and unaware that Troy was downstairs waiting for her.

Troy looked up from his spot on the wall and his eyes widened when he saw his girlfriend come down the stairs with nothing but a towel. He saw how she walked right past him without acknowledging him, like she hadn't even noticed him, and marched right up to her father and brother, who were sitting on the couch, making them stand up. Troy had preferred to remain standing.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" she yelled at her dad, practically shoving the dress in his face. "Buying me a dress when we fucking need the money?" she exclaimed, angrily. "I'm sorry, dad, but you can seriously be that dumb!"

"Hey, watch your mouth, _jovencita_!" Gregory scolded her. "I'm your father, not your brother!"

"Hey," Tom frowned at his dad.

"And I didn't buy that dress," he informed his daughter. The brunette instantly turned her attention to her brother, who quickly raised his hands up in defense and took a step back to stand behind his father.

"Don't look at me, I didn't buy it either," he said.

The brunette narrowed her eyes at them. "Then who did? It certainly didn't materialize from the air!" she snarled. Instead of answering, the two Montez men pointed behind Gabriella and she frowned for a second before turning around. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Troy, looking very handsome in a black tux, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed as he looked away on purpose. She gasped softly, realizing that she was only wearing a towel –she was certain that he had noticed that too. She looked down to see that the towel reached only half of her thighs, showing more than what she was used to showing. She blushed and turned around to glare at her brother and father.

"You couldn't have warned me?" she hissed at them.

"We thought you saw him, you walked right in front of him," Greg said, frowning at how distracted Gabriella could be.

"I did?" the brunette asked frowning, and they nodded. _Damn_, she thought.

"Yes, you distracted moron," Tom told her and Greg hit him in the stomach with the back of his hand. "Humph!"

"Don't insult your sister," he scolded his son.

Gabriella shook her head at them before giving Troy a glance over her shoulder; she couldn't help but think that he looked cute at how he stared at the staircase, clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation. She turned her head back to her family and sighed; she had to talk to him.

"Would you leave us for a moment?" she asked them.

"No," Tom frowned. "Gabby, you're only wearing a towel, you're practically naked!"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at her brother. "He's not going to rape me, Thomas," she whisper-yelled at him. "And, don't you trust me?"

"It's him I don't trust, not you," he frowned. "I don't know him."

"Yeah, well, I do," she replied. "And he won't do anything! For all I know, he'll just stand there and blush."

"Yeah, well, I still don't believe it's a good idea," Tom crossed his arms.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him. "Yeah, well, unfortunately it's not your call," she turned her attention to her dad. "Dad?"

Greg, who was studying Troy's sudden shy behavior, deciding to whether or not give them some privacy, turned to his daughter and gave her a nod. "Ten minutes tops," he told his daughter and the brunette grinned up at her father.

"What!" Tom exclaimed. "Dad, she's practically naked!"

"Tom, the guy bought her a dress, how much harm can he do?" Greg tried to reason with his son. "Plus, I trust Gabby and I believe that she will be responsible," he said, smiling down at his 17 year old daughter.

"But, dad, we-."

"No more talking, Thomas," Greg scolded him. "Now let's give them some space so they can talk," he said, turning around and starting for the kitchen door.

"Fine," Tom grumbled, glaring at Gabriella for a second before storming off after his father.

"Really, David Thomas, you're almost 28 years old, when are you going to grow up?" Gabriella heard her father tell him and she rolled her eyes, silently agreeing with him.

After she saw that they were gone, she turned around to face Troy and sighed when she saw him scratching his forehead –something he did when he was either nervous or uncomfortable. _Or both_, Gabriella added and sighed, making her way over to him while tightening her grip on the dress. She stood in front of him for a moment, waiting for him to turn his head to look at her. When he finally did, she stared up into his eyes, to see that they were impassive. She wondered what was going on in his head.

Troy looked down at her, studying her face. She didn't look angry anymore. Yet, he was a little nervous that she was going to snap at him; it wasn't like he was afraid of her, in fact, he thought it was cute when she was mad, but at that moment he didn't want her to be mad at him. He wanted her to be happy, that was the whole point of buying her a dress.

If she started yelling at him, he was sure he would lose it –she was wearing only a towel, for God's sake! He knew he wouldn't be able to resist the temptation.

"If you're going to yell at me, make it quick," Troy told her, trying desperately to not look down to her chest. "You're still going to wear the dress," he told her.

Gabriella bit the inside of her cheek to prevent a smile from appearing; there was her Troy. She lifted both of her eyebrows at him. "Oh, am I?" she asked, sarcastically.

"Yes. So say whatever you have to say to me and then go upstairs and change," he commanded her and the brunette rolled her eyes.

"Uh-huh," she nodded sarcastically and took another step towards Troy, making him involuntarily gulp. "Troy, didn't I tell you that I wanted to go in jeans?" she asked him. "Why did you buy me a dress?" she frowned at him. "I mean, it's not like I don't appreciate it, because, Jeez, I mean, I-I love it! I really do! It's just… I-I… I didn't expect it, you know? I mean, it's so out of character of you. If someone told me a month ago that you would waste your time to buy me a dress, I would have probably laughed in their face and tell them to get help!" she exclaimed, making Troy give her a faint smile, but it soon disappeared when he saw that Gabriella was serious. "Troy… I love the dress, it's perfect," she told him. "But I'm no damsel in distress waiting to be saved by the handsome, rich prince, okay? This is real life, and honestly, I'm happy with what I have, I don't need a fancy dress, you understand?"

"No, but you want it, Cupcake," he told her with his usual raspy monotone voice, taking her by surprise. "Gabriella," he sighed and then groaned, rubbing his face with his hand as he tried to not think that his girlfriend was half naked. He took a breath and concentrated on what he wanted to tell her. "I-it's hard for me to say what I feel, you know that perfectly well, a-and, I-I don't know why, but you, y-you make me… be different. I have never done this for anyone before, ever," he told her, staring directly into her deep brown eyes. "And this is the corniest thing I will ever say, so don't you dare laugh or 'aw' or mock me or anything because I will get really mad," he warned her. "And I'm not ever saying it again, okay?" the brunette blinked twice at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Gosh, this is stupid," he mumbled and sighed, lowering his head. "Gabriella, y-you…make me happy, so happy that most of the times I think that it isn't right," he began. "I know we barely started…this…whole…thing, but I…I had never met anyone who annoyed me the way you do, or make me punch something so bad, or make me want to rip all my hair off!" Gabriella bit back a smile and Troy lowered his voice as he continued. "Or make me laugh… the way you do, or smile… the way you do," he said. "So no, I don't see you like a damsel in distress. I see you like the girl who kept bugging me for months until I finally gave myself an opportunity to be happy," he said. "Gosh, I didn't buy the dress to make you feel like you're my charity case or something," he frowned, looking back up at her. "And I didn't buy it to make me feel better about myself; I bought it because I wanted you to be happy, you understand?"

The brunette didn't say anything for a second or two, unable to find the right words. She couldn't believe that he had opened up like that. It was something so rare to watch; it was beautiful. She honestly didn't know how she was feeling; it was like a rush of combined emotions flowing through her body all at once. "Troy…" her voice broke a bit, feeling like her insides had turned into mush, and she left the dress on the arm chair that was right next to them. She no longer cared that she was only wrapped in a towel and that probably her brother and father were spying on them from the kitchen, she grabbed Troy's face between her hands and brought his lips down to hers, taking him by surprise.

Troy closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her towel clad waist, massaging her lips with his own in a sweet, tender kiss. He was fully aware that with only one small tug her towel would be on the floor, so before he could get really into the kiss and lose himself completely, he pulled back and rested his forehead on hers.

"You drive me nuts, woman," he murmured with his eyes closed and Gabriella smiled big.

"I know," she responded smugly and Troy chuckled, opening his eyes and pecking her lips once again before pulling his forehead away from hers, keeping his arms around her.

He cleared his throat, struggling to keep his eyes on hers. "Go upstairs and finish getting ready," he told her. _Before I rip that towel off you_, he growled lowly in his head.

"So bossy," Gabriella rolled her eyes, pulling away from his embrace and picking up the dress from the arm chair. "You look very handsome, by the way," she complimented him, smiling up at him.

Troy gulped again, taking a quick glance at her chest before looking up ahead. "Thank you," he coughed.

The brunette, who had completely forgotten that she was almost naked in front of her boyfriend, frowned worried. "Is everything okay?" she asked, cocking her head to a side.

Troy cleared his throat once again. "Cupcake, you're in a towel, and… I'm a dude," he said, raising his eyebrows at her and Gabriella's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh crap, I forgot!" she exclaimed, looking down to her attire and Troy sighed, rolling his eyes –of course she did. "Sorry!" she exclaimed again and Troy raised a dismissive hand as she made her way up to the staircase. After he was sure that she all the way up, he let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding in and rubbed his face.

"She's going to be the death of me," he mumbled. He looked back up and he blinked when he saw Tom and Greg staring at him with arched eyebrows. "What?" the teen asked.

Greg smirked at him. "Nothing."

Forty five minutes later, the brunette finally finished getting ready. She gave herself a once over in the mirror, which was hanging in the back of her door, before sighing and making her way down the stairs. She heard that the T.V was on and that her brother and dad were yelling at it. She quickly came to the conclusion that a basketball game was on. She stood by the living room door, and bit back a laugh as she saw that Troy was now sitting in the arm chair, but he had scooted it closer to the T.V. She knew that he liked basketball because of the trophy that he had in his room, so she really wondered why he wasn't in the basketball team; he must have been good when he was a kid.

She cleared her throat and the three men turned their attention away from the screen to look at her. She felt like blushing when she saw Troy's eyes widened and heard Thomas choke on his own saliva and start coughing. Greg simply stared at her, unable to believe that the young woman that was standing in front of him was his daughter; how did she grow up so fast?

"No, no, you're not going out like that!" Tom coughed, but Gabriella ignored him as she smiled at Troy, who couldn't tare his eyes away from her. He looked her over, from head to toes and back up, taking in every single detail –her wavy hair, the silver necklace hanging around her neck, the way the dress hugged her curves perfectly, her tan legs and the silver strappy shoes on her feet. _Perfect_, he thought.

He stood up and made his way towards her, almost tripping over with the arm chair. He felt his cheeks going slightly red as Gabriella laughed at him. God, he was turning in such a chaos because of her.

"Careful," she giggled, ignoring the looks that her dad and brother were sharing, as Troy took her hand.

"Shut up, Cupcake," he murmured as he caressed the back of her hand. "You look beautiful," he told her.

"Thank you, so do you, Cinnamon Roll," she said, brushing her fingers over his red tie and making Troy roll his eyes. "Would it kill you to stop rolling your eyes at me?" she arched an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, yes it would," he told her seriously before smirking at her. Gabriella slapped him on the chest and Troy chuckled.

After Gregory cleared his throat, breaking their little moment, he gave Troy the instruction of bringing Gabriella home by mid-night. Troy nodded his head in agreement, saying that he would, and the teens exited the house, very aware that they were being watched through the window by Tom and Gregory.

Soon enough, they were in the car and on their way to the Spring Ball. In the middle of the ride, they stopped at a red light and Troy asked Gabriella to take the box that was sitting in the back seat. The brunette gave him a look but didn't question him about it and reached for a box that was wrapped up in a silver paper with no ribbon. The box was bigger than a basketball. Troy smiled at her as she frowned at him with a curious smile.

"Open it," he told her.

"Another present, Bolton?" the brunette asked, with a cheeky smile. "I think you've got me enough this week."

Troy rolled his eyes. "Just open it, Cupcake," he breathed and then stepped on the gas as the light turned green.

"Fine, fine," Gabriella shook her head and ripped off the silver paper. She opened the top of the white carton box and her eyes went wide as she saw what was inside. "Holy mother of…! Troy! Are you for real?" she exclaimed, taking out a motorcycle helmet out of the box. It was lilac and it had a pink cupcake drawing on both sides.

"I figured that it was about time that you had your own helmet," he told her, shrugging. "After all I'm going to be driving you to work after school every day. They didn't have it in blue, so I chose it in lilac, is that okay?" he asked.

"Troy, it-it's perfect! Jeez, God, I-I-I don't know what to say!" she stuttered. "Troy, thank you, really," she said, kissing him on the cheek and making Troy's heart skip a beat. "But you've got to at least let me pay half of it."

"Do you understand the concept of 'gift', Gabriella?" Troy asked rhetorically as he pulled into the school's parking lot. "It means that you don't get to pay half of it, so shut up and enjoy it."

"Troy, you bought me a new dress, shoes and a motorcycle helmet," she listed off as he parked the car and killed the engine. "That's too much!"

"Would you stop whining about it?" Troy asked, taking a white plastic bag, which was next to his feet, and handing it over to his annoyingly cute girlfriend. "I didn't see you complain when I got you those flowers on Monday," he reminded her as he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. He walked around his Audi A8 to open Gabriella's door for her.

"Because flowers are flowers!" he immediately heard as he pulled the car door open and rolled his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh. "They're not too expensive!" the brunette argued as she stood up and made herself aside so Troy could close her door.

"You're pissing me off," Troy grumbled at her, narrowing his eyes at her. "Why can't you just thank me and be over with it?"

The brunette arched an eyebrow at him. "Do you know me, Troy?"

He sighed in response. "True. That was a stupid question," he said, taking the plastic bag from Gabriella's hands and taking out two half-face masks –one silver and the other one gold.

"You also bought us masks?" Gabriella asked, frowning at her boyfriend as he crumbled the plastic bag and tucked it in his pants' pocket.

"You said that it was okay if I bought them," he reminded her, handing her the silver mask.

"Yeah, before I knew that you had bought me a dress and shoes and a helmet," she replied, putting on her mask.

Troy put on his mask as well and grabbed Gabriella's hand before he started for East High's entrance door. Gabriella continued rambling about how it wasn't fair that he had bought her so many things, and how normal boyfriends tend to simply buy chocolates and flowers for their girlfriends.

The blue eyed teen handed his invitations over to Jake and Andy, who were guarding the entrance, and led his rambling girlfriend into the party; by that moment, he no longer knew what she was complaining about. Rolling his eyes, he turned to her and grabbed her face between his hands, pressing his lips to hers and successfully shutting her up.

"Gabriella," he mumbled against her lips and then pulled away, looking into her eyes. "Shut the hell up," he told her.

The brunette narrowed her eyes at him through her mask. "You're so rude," she accused him and Troy arched an eyebrow at her while smirking.

"Oh, so hurt," he said sarcastically and the brunette slapped him on the chest, making him chuckle.

"I still believe that it's not fair that you-," she uselessly began to ramble one more time only to be silenced by Troy's lips on hers again. She involuntarily smiled into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. Troy smirked smugly, knowing that he also had some sort of effect on her. "So rude," the brunette mumbled against his lips and felt Troy's chest rumble against hers from a chuckle.

From the other side of the gym, just by the punch table, Sharpay finally spotted the couple that she was looking for by the entrance and bit her lower lip to prevent herself from squealing. She smiled brightly, seeing that her friend was wearing the dress that Troy had spotted at the mall. "Yes," she secretly celebrated to herself and clapped her hands. Of course she wouldn't ruin their moment by going over and taking half of the credit for the dress; she wanted her friend to believe that it was all Troy's idea –it would be more special for her that way. She would compliment her later, of course, but at that moment, she decided to let the couple be and grabbed Zeke's hand.

"Let's go dancing," she told him, pulling him over to the dance floor, which was starting to get crowded.

After the song that was playing ended, Gabriella gasped against Troy's lips as she noticed that the next song that the D.J put was 'Fireflies- by Owl City'. She pulled away and Troy looked at her confused.

"What?" he asked her.

"That's our song!" she informed her boyfriend excitedly and Troy frowned, not knowing what she was talking about. "Troy!" she exclaimed, disapprovingly. "Our song? Remember? When Annie took our picture in your living room?" she told him and his face brightened up in realization.

"Oh," he articled and then his eyes widened when he then realized what Gabriella would ask next. "No, Cupcake, no! One thing is making me dance in my living room; another one is making me dance in public."

The brunette frowned at him. "Oh come on, Troy, don't be such a big baby!" she rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand, pulling him over to the dance floor.

"Gabriella!" he growled, annoyed. "I'm not dancing!"

Gabriella turned around once they were in the dance floor and arched an eyebrow at him, crossing her arms. "Do you honestly want to go through this again?" she asked him and Troy narrowed his eyes at her. "You and I both know how this ends, Cinnamon Roll, so why don't you spare yourself from all the trouble and give in already?"

He continued to glare at her. "Funny," he grumbled.

Gabriella smiled at him and grabbed both of his hands, taking a step closer to him. "I thought you said you didn't give a crap of what people thought about you," she reminded him, pressing a sweet peck on his lips and making him let out a guttural growl. _Touché_, he thought.

"I don't like you," he grumbled and Gabriella's smile widened, knowing that she had won. Troy sighed, letting go of one of Gabriella's hand to wrap his arm around her waist and started moving around as the brunette wrapped her free arm around his neck.

"A foxtrot above my head, a sock hop beneath my bed, a disco ball is just hanging by a thread, thread," Gabriella sang along, pointing up to the ceiling, where, ironically, a disco ball was hanging by a thread. Troy chuckled at her silliness and pressed his forehead down on hers.

"You're stupid," he told her and the brunette stuck her tongue out at him before he pressed a kiss on her cheek.

"And like I've said many times before, you're just bitter," she told him, smiling. Troy shook his head and let go of her other hand so he could intertwine his fingers on her lower back. Gabriella wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and placed her forehead against his one more time, closing her eyes in peace. The two of them swayed at the rhythm of the music, unaware of all the stares that they were getting, especially the one from a certain drama teacher who had set them up together on purpose.

Mrs. Darbus smiled, feeling satisfied. _You did it once more, Julia_, she congratulated herself before turning around and pouring herself a cup of punch.

Troy sighed contently, pulling Gabriella's body closer to his. _So much for trying to push her away_, he thought with a faint smile. He would never admit it, but he was glad that the brunette had entered into his life and made him dance one more time.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**HOLY FUCK! DID I REALLY JUST WRITE 10, 400 WORDS?! **

**Damn, I must have been really inspired. xD**

**Anyhow, sorry for the wait, I got a little stuck at the beginning, plus Christmas and New Year's Eve and stuff… (I got really drunk on Christmas Eve o.O) **

**You guys understand, right?**

**Anyway! Hope you liked this chapter! I don't like it very much, but I thought that Troy and Gabriella deserved a cute long chapter before my evil plans! MUAHAHAHAHA!**

***Squeal* I'm so excited to start writing the next chapter! (But right now I need my sleep) Stay tuned! It's gonna be awesome! **

**Oh! And Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! xD **

**Sorry for Grammar and Spelling mistakes! :) You know I'm too lazy to check lol. Specially now! I mean, ten thousand fucking words!**

**Lots of love,**

**Mary. **

**P.S: If you guys want to, you can follow me on twitter ( btzzmary). I barely started using my account like a month ago. I mean, I made it like three years ago, but… *shruggs¨* I honestly started using it because Zac's got a twitter xDDD. **

**(And no, I'm not gonna give out my facebook account, that's a little bit more personal ;) ) **


	21. Run, Heart, Run

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter twenty_

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**!**

* * *

><p>March<p>

April

June

July

"What do you mean you haven't had sex yet?" Sharpay practically yelled at her friend with wide eyes, making everyone in the Coffee Shop turn to look at them.

On March, Gabriella had quit her job at the coffee shop, but kept the one at the flower shop so she could have more time to study and do her homework and, of course, so she could spend more time with Troy. They decided to keep using their Spring Ball planning schedule, so Gabriella went to have dinner at Troy's house Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays he would drive her home directly –those days he would take the car and leave his bike home.

But now they were in the middle of summer, and Gabriella talked to her dad so he would let her work in the Coffee Shop again. Greg didn't like the idea, of course, and made Gabriella choose between her two jobs again. The brunette, deciding that working in the flower shop was getting boring, chose to go back to the Coffee Shop. She planned to switch back again once they got back to school.

"Shh!" Gabriella shushed her blonde friend. "Would you keep your voice down?" she whisper-yelled at her. "Jeez, Sharpay, we're in public!"

The blonde looked at her apologetically and twisted her mouth. "Sorry, it's just, you guys have been dating for, what, a year now?" Sharpay asked and the brunette rolled her eyes.

"Three months, Sharpay," she replied, taking Sharpay's empty coffee cup and handing it to Jared as he walked by. "I'm not ready and Troy is not going to force into anything I don't wanna do," she assured her. "I mean, he thinks I'm the kind of girl who's going to wait till marriage."

"And why would he think that?" Sharpay frowned.

"Because that's what I told him," the brunette murmured, leaning over the counter.

The blonde snorted. "Why would you tell him that?"

Gabriella shrugged, looking down to her fingers. "I don't know. No, well, yes, I do," she corrected, looking up at her friend. "At that moment, I thought that that's what I wanted to do, because I knew that when I got married, I would be in love with that person and I'd be sure that that person would love me back," she explained. "Now I'm not so sure anymore," she admitted softly. "I mean, when I'm with Troy… everything else doesn't matter, you know? Like, everything and everyone else don't exist and it's just the two of us. He makes me laugh, even though he's a grumpy ass most of the times, he makes me smile just by pushing a strand of my hair out of my face, and I can be myself around him without worrying that he's going to judge me. Sure, he calls me weird and crazy and a bunch of other things, and scolds me when I do something stupid in the middle of the street, but at the end of the day I know that he doesn't mean it, and that he scolds me only because he looks after me," she said. "You know what I mean?"

Sharpay nodded her head, resting her cheek over her open palm and smiling. "I do."

"A-a-and recently, even though nothing has happened that would lead us to… you know," she cleared her throat and blushed. "I've been… thinking about it. Well not like the action per se, because that's disturbing, but… thinking about what would happen if Troy was my first."

The blonde nodded again, studying her friend's blushing face for a second before sitting up straight. She crossed her arms and smiled. "Gabby, have you ever thought that maybe you're in love with him?" she asked and Gabriella's eyes widened.

"What?" she squeaked.

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "Don't freak out, woman. Think about it! There's a reason why you're thinking about having sex with Troy-Boy, it's not just your teenage hormones speaking, it could be something else too!" she said and Gabriella blinked at her, not following. "Ugh!" the blonde complained. "Gabriella, go back to what you said earlier. You said you told him that you wanted to wait until marriage because you wanted to be sure you were in love and that that person was in love with you too, am I wrong? If you're thinking about having sex with Troy, it's because maybe, _just_ maybe, you're in love with him."

The brunette stared at her with a blank expression on her face for a good couple of seconds, thinking about what her friend said.

"Gabby, did you hear what I just said?" Sharpay asked her, waving her hand in front of the brunette's face.

Gabriella blinked. "No, yes, I did, it's just that- Jeez, I-I, God!" she breathed. "I never thought of it, you know? I mean, I-I-I don't know, uhm… I'm not sure," she stared at her friend. "I mean, do... do you really think that maybe I could be in love with…," the brunette trailed off as something caught her eye above Sharpay's head. "Troy!" she exclaimed, standing up straight as she saw that her boyfriend had just walked through the door. Sharpay bit back a giggle as Gabriella quickly rounded the counter, completely forgetting about her friend and what they were discussing about, and she turned around in time to see her wrap her arms around the blue eyed teen.

"Nope," Sharpay shook her head. "I'm sure," she said to herself.

Troy chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Gabriella's tiny waist and planted a kiss on her head. "Hi, Cupcake," he murmured in her ear and smirked when he felt her shiver in his arms. He loved doing that.

Gabriella's heart picked up its pace as she pulled back a bit to look into Troy's bright blue eyes. "You're early," she told him, placing her hands on his chest. "My shift doesn't end until 3:30."

"Hm, I didn't notice," he told her sarcastically and Gabriella gave him a look. He smiled and pecked her lips. "I came to tell you something," he said.

The brunette frowned. "Everything okay?" she asked, starting to get a little concerned.

"No, I came to tell you that I'm moving to China and that you'll never see me again," he told her, seriousness in his voice, but Gabriella knew he was joking, so she rolled her eyes.

"Uh-huh, yeah, have fun and send me a postcard," she told him sarcastically, making him chuckle. Gabriella smiled. "Really Cinnamon Roll, why are you here?"

He sighed. "I have to take Annie to her doctor's appointment at 4. Her husband is doing a surgery at that hour and she's afraid that she'll go into labor while driving there by herself," he rolled his eyes. "So, I can't really take you home today," he concluded.

"Oh," Gabriella blinked and then gave him a half smile. "It's fine, Troy, don't worry," she reassured him, kissing him on his jaw. "Sharpay will take me home," she pointed behind her with her thumb and Troy took a quick glance above her head to see the blonde waving at him. He rolled his eyes and looked back down to his girlfriend.

"Okay," he said. "I should be probably home by 5, so, I'll call you by that time, okay?"

The brunette nodded. "Sure," she smiled. "Don't flirt with any nurses, okay?"

"Yeah, the thing is that you don't own me and I'll do whatever the hell I please," he smirked at her.

"Uh-huh," Gabriella rolled her eyes and stood on the tip of her toes, wrapping her arms back around his neck and pressing her lips on his. "I own your ass and you know it, Cinnamon Roll," she mumbled against his lips and Troy chuckled.

"You wished, Cupcake," he mumbled back, pulling her body closer to his to keep her in place. He pulled his head back and pressed his nose to hers. "But I'll _try_ not to flirt with the nurses."

"Oh, you better not, or your dick will pay for the consequences," she smirked evilly at him.

"Are you threatening my manhood, Montez?" he arched an eyebrow at her, smirking back at her.

"Indeed I am," she nodded. "So watch every move you make, Bolton."

"Yeah, okay," he said, sarcastically. "And how will you know what I did or did not do?"

"Oh, don't you worry about that, I'll know," she shrugged, smirking at him. "Just imagine my little head up here on your shoulder," she raised her right hand and made an air ball with her fingers. "So when you're about to do something you're not supposed to do, you'll hear my voice whispering in your ear threatening your dick," she told him and began giggling at Troy's grimacing face.

"Has anyone ever told you how weird you are?" he asked, frowning at the short girl.

"Besides you?" she asked and giggled again as Troy rolled his eyes.

"Funny," he said and then sighed, pecking her lips again. "I gotta go," he told her, clearing his throat and unwrapping his arms from around her waist. "Annie will beat me up till death with a pan if I'm late," he said, making Gabriella giggle.

"Okay," she nodded. "Have fun."

"Uh-huh," he rolled his eyes and kissed her lips one last time. "I'll call you," he said and Gabriella nodded before he turned around and exited the Coffee Shop.

The brunette watched as he got onto his motorcycle and put on his helmet. He kicked down the pedal to turn it on and Gabriella waved at him. He waved back before pulling out of his parking space and drove off. She sighed, smiling to herself and then jumped startled when Sharpay spoke behind her, or more like sang.

"I think you love him, I think you need him, you want to fuck him, marry and cherish him," she chanted Ms. Congeniality-style while making a silly dance and giggled when Gabriella rolled her eyes and punched her in the shoulder.

"Shut up!" the brunette blushed and walked back to her counter.

"What!" the blonde asked as she followed, rubbing her shoulder. "Don't hate me for speaking the truth!" she said, raising her hands up in defense as she sat back down on her stool. Gabriella narrowed her eyes at her and then shook her head, making her way to the kitchen.

By the time that Gabriella finished her shift, she got a call from her dad saying that he was in a job interview and that he wouldn't be home by the time she got out of work. The news took Gabriella by surprise and made her jump in excitement. He told her that a small company had called him and asked him if they could interview him that afternoon, and that he had said yes. The brunette told him not to worry about it and that she wished him the best of lucks.

She sighed, feeling extremely happy as she took off her apron and took her hobo bag. Her dad hadn't had a job interview in more than two months and she was hoping that this would be the good one. She wanted to call Troy and tell him about it, but she didn't want to disturb him, so she decided to wait until 5 so he would call her.

Until then, she didn't have anything else to do but lie on her bed and maybe watch some T.V. Neither her dad nor her brother were going to be home (since he was also working), so she would be bored as hell. And when she was bored as hell, she would tend to think… and she honestly didn't want to be thinking about what Sharpay told her about… loving Troy.

"Well, why don't we go shopping?" Sharpay suggested as she drove to Gabriella's house. "You have nothing to do, I have nothing to do, Taylor's in Hawaii, Zeke's out with Chad, and your Troy-Boy is also busy; so the least we can do is be there for each other when we're bored," she said.

The brunette thought about it for a moment before agreeing. "Yeah, okay, sounds good. But I'll just window shop, you know I don't have any money."

"Oh, don't be silly, Gabby, if you like anything, just tell me and I'll buy it for you, okay?" Sharpay smiled at her friend, turning her pink Mustang around and making her way to the mall.

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Sure, Sharpay," she nodded sarcastically.

The two girls walked around the mall for a while, checking out some stores and trying on clothes randomly. Before they knew it, an hour had passed and Sharpay had bought ten different items. _No wonder why Taylor said she was a shopping freak_, the brunette thought, shaking her head and followed her friend into another store. She winced as she heard Sharpay squeal as she found a new piece of clothing and rolled her eyes. That girl had a hawk eye for clothing.

"I'm gonna try this on, okay? Do you mind watching my bags for two minutes?" Sharpay asked her friend, handing her over 4 shopping bags.

"Not at all," the brunette shook her head and grabbed the bags. The blonde thanked her and then proceeded to rush into the fitting rooms.

Gabriella sighed and sat down on a random chair she found, which happened to be outside of the fitting rooms. She placed the bags on the floor and took out her cell phone from her green hobo bag to see if she had any lost calls or texts. She smiled when she saw a text message from Troy.

_Thanks to your weirdo comment, I can't flirt around. –T. _

The brunette giggled. "Yeah, right," she murmured to herself and texted him back.

_It wouldn't kill you to admit that you miss me ;) But I'm glad to know you're behaving xo.–G. _

She shut her phone closed and sighed, waiting for him to text her back. As she waited, she looked around the store and blinked twice as something caught her eye by the man's section. She cocked her head to a side –It was a simple white T-shit with red long sleeves, nothing special really, but for some reason, she imagined Troy in it. She smiled and stood up along with Sharpay's shopping bags before making her way over to the shelf on which she saw the shirt on a mannequin. She took one of the folded t-shirts and checked the price tag. Her smile grew bigger when she saw that she could afford it.

She knew it wasn't something that Troy would wear because all he wore was black and dark blue, and sometimes even grey. But for some reason she thought she had to buy it; he needed to wear some color once in a while.

Without giving it a further thought, Gabriella took the shirt over to the cash desk, still smiling widely.

"Is this it?" the lady behind the desk asked, scanning the price tag, and the brunette nodded.

"Yup," she said, taking out her wallet from her hobo bag and pulling out the only two bills she had in there–one of 20 and the other one of 5. The lady took her money and typed a few things on the cash register before ripping off her ticket and handing it to her along with her T-Shirt in a plastic bag.

After thanking her, Gabriella turned around in time to see Sharpay stepping out of the fitting rooms in a pretty pink summer dress. The blonde looked around before posing her eyes on her friend, who started making her way back to her.

"Hey, what did you buy?" Sharpay asked, smiling, when Gabriella was close enough.

She shrugged, putting her friend's shopping bags on the floor. "Nothing, just a T-Shirt I saw."

"Can I see?" she asked and Gabriella shrugged again, handing her the plastic bag. Sharpay took it and pulled out the T-shirt. She gave it a once over before arching an eyebrow at the brunette. "It's a guy's shirt."

"Uhm, yeah," Gabriella blushed, scratching her elbow. "Uh, I-I got it for Troy."

Sharpay smirked, putting the shirt back into the bag. "So you don't have money to buy something for you, but you do have it to buy clothes for your boyfriend?"

"Yeah, well, all he wears is black, grey and dark blue. He needs some color in his life!" the brunette tried to excuse herself and Sharpay continued to smirk, shaking her head. "He needs it more than I do, trust me. Plus he got me that dress and those shoes and the helmet. It's not much, but I think he'll like it."

"Well, if you put it that way, I believe it's really thoughtful of you. It's nice; I think he'll like it, too," the blonde said, returning her the bag. "Anyhow, what do you think of this dress?" she asked her friend, spinning around.

Gabriella smiled. "I like it," she nodded approvingly and then she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She took it out and smiled when she saw that Troy had answered her text.

_Fine. I miss you. –T. _

"Aw," Gabriella's smile widened, making her heart flutter with joy in her chest. "I can't believe he actually wrote that!"

"What?" Sharpay asked curiously, leaning over Gabriella's shoulder to read the text message. She smiled too. "Aw! That's so cute!"

Gabriella nodded. "I know," she cooed, smiling goofily.

_Miss you too. Don't forget to call me xo. –G. _

She closed her phone again and before she could shove it back into her pocket, it vibrated again.

_You're not my boss. –T. _

"Ah," Gabriella nodded, grinning. "There's my Troy."

_That's what you think ;) –G. _

After Sharpay bought the pink summer dress she tried on, the two teenage girls decided to go have something to eat. While Sharpay got a salad, Gabriella got herself half a Subway sandwich. They chatted away while eating their meals, discussing how they couldn't believe that half summer was already gone and that when they least expected it they would be back to school.

As they went to throw away their trash, Gabriella felt her phone vibrate once again.

_Annie barely got out of the doctor's office. I'll call you when I get home. –T. _

She read and then frowned. What time was it? She got back to the main menu to check the time and saw that it was 5:05. _Huh_, she blinked. She thought it would be later. She couldn't believe that they had been in the mall for only one hour and a half.

The brunette smirked as an idea popped into her head; it was still early, Troy wasn't home yet, and she had an excuse to go see him –his new T-shirt.

"Hey, Shar?" the blonde turned to look at Gabriella with questioning eyes. "Do you think you could drive me to Troy's? I think I want to surprise him with the T-shirt I bought him."

Sharpay smiled. "Of course."

By 5:20, the brunette was in front of Troy's house with no sign of his black Audi A8. There was a black Mercedes parked in the driveway, but she didn't give it too much thought, thinking that maybe it was Annie's, and took her hobo bag and Troy's shirt before getting out of Sharpay's car.

"Good luck!" her friend yelled at her and Gabriella waved at her as she drove off.

Gabriella bit her lower lip, smiling, and made her way over to Troy's front porch. She was so excited to see Troy's face when he saw her sitting there in his living room. She could practically see him widen his eyes and blink a couple of times before smiling at her with that soft smile of his. How much she loved his smile, it could make her heart go faster and her insides turn into mush.

The brunette rang the doorbell and waited a couple of seconds. She was prepared to see Nicole or Isabelle, so, when the door opened, she was taken aback when a tall blue eyed man in a black suit appeared in their place. Gabriella blinked twice as her breath hitched in her throat, taking in the forty-something handsome man. No one needed to tell her who he was, she had seen him before, plus she would recognize those eyes anywhere. Jack Bolton. The man she swore she would punch if she ever saw him.

Jack smiled at her, and for some reason, Gabriella felt a sick feeling in her stomach and the hair in her nape stand up. "Hello there, young lady, how can I help you?" he asked kindly. It was obvious that he didn't remember her.

Gabriella gulped, faking a smile at her boyfriend's father. "Uhm, good afternoon, Sir, uhm, I'm sorry, I believe I got the wrong house number," she said, knowing that Troy wouldn't like it if he knew that she was talking to his father.

"Mm," Jack frowned, looking her up and down. "Maybe not, who are you looking for, honey?"

"Oh, just a friend," she said, trying to keep calm as best as she could. "Her name is-."

"Gabriella!" she suddenly heard Isabelle exclaim happily with Nicole by her side. "See, I told you I heard the door!" she said to her co-worker as they appeared behind Jack.

Gabriella could swear her heart stopped along with her breathing when Jack's frown deepened and he turned to look at his employees. _Shit, shit, shit_, she thought.

"You know her?" Jack asked them and Gabriella shook her head at them; Nicole was the only one who had caught her sign, but before she could stop it, Isabelle had already opened her mouth.

"Yeah, she's Mr. Bolton's girlfriend," Isabelle told her boss, and Nicole elbowed her. "Ow, what?" she frowned at her, but then turned to look at Gabriella who had closed her eyes almost as if she was in pain, and knew that she shouldn't have said anything.

Jack turned to look at the young brunette and arched an eyebrow. "Oh really?" he smirked, eyeing her. "Troy's girlfriend, huh?" Gabriella gulped under his studying gaze and didn't say anything, not only because she didn't know what to say, but because she felt like her throat went dry. _This is bad, this is so bad_, she thought. How did she get into this? "Well, he didn't tell me anything," he continued to smirk, opening the door wider. "Would you like to come in?"

"Uh, uhm, w-well, I-I don't think it's such a g-good idea, y-y-you s-see, I-I was just s-supposed to drop s-something off and…," the brunette stuttered and felt like whimpering when she saw Jack's smirk grow bigger.

"Oh, don't be shy; I'd love to get to know my son's girlfriend," he took a step closer to her, and if Gabriella wasn't totally frozen in her spot, she would've stepped back. Jack placed one large hand on her back and started pushing her in. "Have a glass of water, tell me your surname, how you met, and then you can be on your way, okay?"

The brunette stared at Nicole and Isabelle, asking for some kind of help with her eyes as Jack closed the door behind her, but they simply stared at each other, trying to figure out what to do. Gabriella gasped as Jack placed his hand back on her back and led her over to the kitchen. She would have to deal with this on her own; she just hoped that Troy would be there soon to help her.

"Have a seat, Gabriella," Jack told her, kindness in his voice, but for some reason, Gabriella thought that he was faking it.

"Thank you," she said softly, and sat on one of the kitchen stools, placing her bag on the stool next to her. She watched as Jack grabbed a glass from the cupboard and walked over to the sink.

"You don't mind if it's tap water, do you?" he asked.

"No," Gabriella shook her head and bit on her lower lip. She shifted uncomfortably on her seat as Jack placed the glass of water on the counter and sat in front of her. "Thank you."

"Oh, no need to thank me, honey," he waved her off and crossed his arms. "So tell me how you two met," he asked with some sort of spark in his eyes, a spark that Gabriella couldn't quite name. All she knew is that it wasn't curiosity; no, she knew he wasn't interested in how they met. So she lied.

"In school," she replied, and Jack nodded. "We were in the same homeroom and Mrs. Darbus made him give me a tour of the school."

"I see," he smiled. "And you two hit it off after that?"

"Uhm, yeah, we could say that," she lied again, faking another smile at him. "He's a really nice guy."

"So he's been good to you?" he asked again and Gabriella nodded.

"He's been the best," she told him.

"Great," he nodded and his smile turned into a smirk once again, making Gabriella feel like he was about to do something she should be afraid of. "I'm glad you guys get along fine," he sighed. "Because you guys get along fine, right?" he continued to smirk at the brunette.

"Uh, yeah," Gabriella frowned, getting her guard on. "Why wouldn't we?"

"I'm just asking," Jack shrugged. "And I bet you two trust each other, tell each other all your secrets, know each other well," he arched an eyebrow.

"Y-yes, I-I guess," she replied, unsure. Yes, something was wrong.

"So I'm sure he told you that he's not allowed to have a relationship, right?" his smirk grew larger and Gabriella simply stared at him, gulping again. Where was he leading this to? "Any kind of relationship, really; you must know why, am I right?" he asked and the brunette narrowed her eyes at him, feeling the sudden urge to stand up for Troy.

"No," she answered, truthfully. "But I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that you told him that he doesn't deserve to be happy," she said, looking directly into his eyes and taking Jack by surprise. She didn't know where she got out the courage from, because moments ago she felt like running out of there. Jack smirk returned to his face, making Gabriella angrier.

"Huh, he got himself a sassy one," he chuckled and stood up, sighing. "But yes, in fact," he paused. "He doesn't deserve to be happy," he crossed his arms and started making his way around the kitchen island. Gabriella didn't tear her eyes away from his figure.

"How can you say that?" the brunette frowned, standing up too as he began getting closer. "He's your son."

Jack scoffed. "And what an ungrateful son of a bitch, he is," he said, making Gabriella's hands curl into fists. He looked at Gabriella's furious expression and his smirk disappeared. "I mean, after he killed his mother, and I took him under my roof, he's still got the nerve to act like an asshole and yell at me like if he was the victim. I mean, I wasn't the one who pushed her in front of the car, you know?" Gabriella's eyes went wide and she stopped breathing. Jack smiled a bitter smile. "So can you really blame me for not forgiving my own son? Do you still think that he deserves to be happy? How can a person who kills his own mother just because he hates his father, ever deserve to be happy? Tell me, Gabriella, would you forgive him if you were me?"

Gabriella stared at him, registering his words. Her hands were still curled into fists and her heart was beating rapidly against her chest. Was that the reason why Troy didn't want anything to do with her at first? He felt guilty for pushing his mom in front of a car and couldn't forgive himself? She let out a shaky breath and looked down at her shoes for a moment, trying to find some kind of comfort in them. It was too much information to take all at once, but at that moment, she couldn't lose it, not in front of Jack Bolton. For some reason, she didn't want to let him win. So she took a deep breath to pull herself together and looked up.

She studied Jack's face for a few seconds. All he wanted was to deprive Troy from his happiness; she knew that that was the reason why he told her about Troy's mother. That was the whole point of inviting her in, in the first place. She studied his eyes; they were the same as Troy's, but at the same time they weren't. Jack's eyes were different. Call her exaggerated, but she could say that they were evil; she could tell that all he wanted was to see his son suffer, like he would do anything to never see him smile. Troy's eyes were… kind. They weren't the eyes of a murderer; they were the eyes of a boy who had suffered a lot. They were the eyes of a guy who cared a lot about her and would never hurt her, not someone who would say and do anything to make someone miserable.

And that's how she knew that Jack was lying. She refused to believe that Troy had done something like that on purpose. She knew it wasn't true, she could feel it; she could see it in Jack's cheap imitation of Troy's eyes.

"You are a liar," Gabriella finally hissed at him, making Jack look at her surprised. "A liar and a horrible father," she took her hobo bag from the stool she had left it on and put it on her shoulder. "I know Troy and he's not a murderer," she narrowed her eyes at Jack. "So I won't stay here and listen to your bullshit anymore."

With that, Gabriella pushed past Jack and made her way out of the kitchen. She wasn't even at the middle of the living room, when a hand grasped her arm, making her turn around. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw Jack's angry eyes boring into hers.

"You're an insolent little creature, aren't you?" he told her with gritted teeth.

"Let go of me," Gabriella snarled, pulling on her arm, but Jack only tightened his grip.

He chuckled sourly as she winced. "You can believe whatever you want, Gabriella, but sooner or later you'll find out that I'm right," he smirked at her before throwing her on the couch. Gabriella whimpered and stared up at Jack with a combination of shock, anger and fear in her eyes. "Nicole, Isabelle!" he yelled.

"Yes, Mr. Bolton?" they chorused together as they appeared around the corner.

Jack smiled at them, fixing his blue tie. "I got the papers I needed," he said, picking up a folder from the coffee table. "So I'd be leaving now. Gabriella can stay as long as she likes, so make sure she's comfortable, okay?" he winked at Gabriella and she gulped.

"Yes, Mr. Bolton," they nodded.

* * *

><p>"Thanks so much for driving me, Troy," Annie smiled at the teen as he made a turn into his street.<p>

"Yeah, well, after you practically blackmailed me, saying that if you went into labor in the middle of the road you would blame it on me, you didn't leave me much of a choice, did you?" he asked sarcastically, making his cook roll her eyes.

"Such a drama queen," she said, rubbing her 38 week baby bump. Troy scoffed and shook his head. Annie sighed and then frowned when she noticed a black Mercedes getting out of the Bolton's driveway. "Hey, isn't that your dad's car?" she asked.

Troy frowned as well. "Looks like it," he said as he watched it drive away.

"He probably came to pick up some papers," Annie said. "He does that sometimes when you're in school."

"Does it look like I give a fuck of what he does with his life?" Troy asked sarcastically as he parked the car in the driveway and Annie shook her head at him in disbelief. The blue eyed teen put on the emergency break and unbuckled his seatbelt before getting out of the car and helping Annie get out as well.

"God," she grunted as Troy helped her up. "Two more weeks," she breathed as she placed her hand on her back. "Two more weeks to end this torture; I can't believe I went through with this for a third time," she complained and Troy chuckled as he took Annie's purse from the passenger's seat.

"Come on, blow fish," Troy handed Annie her purse and smirked when she glared at him.

"Ass mouth," she hit him with the purse and looped her arm through Troy's before they started making their way to the front porch. Troy shook his head and sighed. She should be at home resting, but she had insisted on staying until she felt like she, indeed, needed to rest.

Troy took out his key and opened the door only to be met by Nicole's worried expression. Both Annie and Troy frowned, immediately knowing that something was wrong.

"Nicole, are you okay?" Annie asked, eyeing the girl carefully.

"Uhm," the curly haired woman gulped, looking at Troy. "Mr. Bolton… uh… we're so, so, so sorry, s-s-she just came, and Isabelle didn't know she wasn't supposed to say anything a-a-and she told your father a-a-and…and, and-."

"Nicole, slow down," Troy cut her off. "Who came?" he asked, still frowning.

The maid gulped again before answering. "G-Gabriella," she stuttered out and the teen immediately paled.

Annie's eyes went wide and turned to look at Troy, who seemed to have turned into stone; she wasn't even sure if he was still breathing.

"Where is she?" he asked, his voice hard and serene.

"In the living room," Nicole answered and without saying another word, Troy let go of Annie's arm and started for the living room. His mind was a chaos as he imagined many different scenarios, a rush of mixed emotions was flowing through his veins and his heart was beating in his ears. He feared for the worst. So when he saw Gabriella sitting on the couch, covering her face, with no obvious physical harm on her, a part of his soul came back.

"Gabriella?" he called her name softly and she immediately looked up; she looked like she had just seen a ghost. Her eyes seemed to fill up with tears as she stood up and rushed towards him. Troy took a couple of steps and met her half way, wrapping his arms around her.

"Troy," she whimpered and he tightened his grip around her. She buried her face in his chest. "Took you long enough, you bastard!" she mumbled against his chest, her voice tight with emotion.

Troy sighed, closing his eyes and resting his chin on her head. He rubbed her back up and down, feeling her shake as she cried into his chest. He had never seen her cry, and it made him so angry that his father was the one who provoked her tears. But at that moment, he couldn't think about him, he had to think about the brunette coiled around him.

"Calm down, Cupcake," he murmured into her ear, making her tighten her grip around his waist. "He's gone," he told her. "He's gone."

Troy looked up and turned his head to his right, seeing Nicole and Annie staring at them with worried eyes.

"Where's Isabelle?" he asked.

"In our room," Nicole told him. "She feels horribly guilty."

The teen nodded. He would have to speak with her later to tell her not to worry; he knew she didn't do it on purpose. "I'm gonna take Gabriella up to my room," he said. "If we need anything, I'll call you, okay?"

Annie and Nicole nodded, and Troy pulled on Gabriella's arms softly so she would let go of him. He put his arm around her waist and led her upstairs. Once they were in their room, Troy closed the door behind them and locked it, just in case if Nicole decided to walk in without knocking again. He sighed and turned around, taking in Gabriella's small and trembling figure. He walked up to her and cupped her cheeks between his hands, making her look up at him.

Her eyes were red and puffy, she had a runny nose and a trembling lip; even though he knew that she was frightened, he couldn't help but think that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life.

Troy wiped away her tears with his thumbs and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Come," he mumbled against her forehead and dropped his hands from her face so he could intertwine his fingers with hers. Gabriella nodded her head and Troy led her over to his king-size bed.

He scooted over to the middle of the bed and pulled Gabriella so she was sitting between his legs. The brunette took off her hobo bag and turned to her side, cuddling up to him. He waited until she was comfortable enough and wrapped his arms around her. She placed her right hand on his chest and closed her eyes, sniffling.

Gabriella's breathing started to even out as Troy stroked her hair in silence, resting his head against the headboard and staring up into space. He knew he had to wait until she was calm before asking her about anything, so he waited patiently until he couldn't hear her sniffle anymore.

"I'm sorry," the brunette apologized softly and Troy looked down at her. "I-I shouldn't have come without asking you first. I just wanted to surprise you."

Troy couldn't help but smile softly as she said that last sentence. "Surprise me?"

Gabriella nodded and sniffled before sitting up, making Troy drop his arms from around her waist and look at her curiously. "Yeah," she said, reaching for her bag. She opened it up and pulled out a plastic bag. "I-I got you something."

Troy sat up a little straighter and frowned at her. "You did?"

"I-It's not much, but," she shrugged, handing him the plastic bag. "I-I saw it and I thought of you," she sniffled again, blushing a little as Troy took the bag from her. She watched as Troy dug inside the bag and pulled out the T-shirt.

"You got me a T-shirt?" he arched an eyebrow at her, a tiny smile playing on his lips and the brunette nodded.

"I know it's not something that you would usually wear, but I thought that you could use some color. Plus you bought me the dress and the shoes and the cupcake helmet, and I thought that maybe I could get _you_ something," she told him. "Like I said, it's not much, I don't have that much money, but I hope you like it."

Troy continued to smile, feeling warm inside as he looked down to the white shirt with red sleeves. Yes, it's not something that he would usually wear, but he would, only because Gabriella got it for him. He put the T-shirt next to him, and scooted closer to Gabriella, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I love it," he murmured, kissing her softly on the lips. The brunette smiled happily and accommodated herself so her legs were on each side of his waist and above his legs. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "I can't believe you went through all this trouble just to bring me a shirt," Troy grumbled, rubbing Gabriella's back up and down. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah," Gabriella nodded against his shoulder. "He… just… really startled me."

"Did he hurt you?" he asked and she shook her head.

"No," she said. "Well… he… grabbed me by the arm and threw me on the couch before he left," she admitted softly and felt Troy tense up in her arms. "But I'm not hurt, really," she said, lifting her head up from his shoulder and staring into his eyes. Yeah, those were the eyes she loved.

"Which arm?" he asked.

"The right one," she told him and then smiled softly as she saw how Troy grabbed her right arm with his left hand and leaned his head down to press a kiss there. She sighed as Troy pulled back and ran her fingers through his disheveled hair.

"What else did he do?" he asked, worry evident in the tone of his voice. Gabriella looked into his eyes and bit her lower lip before lowering her head; she wasn't sure if she should tell him, especially when she knew that it was a sore subject for him. Troy frowned at her silence. "Gabriella, tell me," he told her softly but firmly at the same time.

But the brunette remained silent, pondering her options and their consequences. She knew that sooner or later she would have to tell him, and she knew that she _needed_ to know the truth. But she was worried that he would react badly.

Troy gulped, his head starting to piece something together. "Did he tell you something?" he asked softly. After a moment of silence, the brunette nodded. "What?"

Again, silence.

"Gabriella, tell me," he ordered again.

Gabriella sighed, knowing that he wasn't going to let it go. She was going to have to tell him. "H-he… told me… something… about your mom," the brunette said slowly, afraid to look at him for the first time since she met him. Once again, she felt Troy tense up.

"What?" he asked; his voice hard and cold. The brunette gulped and took a glimpse at him through her eyelashes. She was unaware that his breath had caught in his throat or that his heart started racing it's pace or that his stomach had twisted with discomfort. The only thing she knew is that his eyes had darkened into a deep navy blue and that his lips had paled a bit.

Instead of answering with what Jack had told her, Gabriella decided to answer him with another question. "Will you tell me how she died?" she asked, her voice merely a whisper.

"No," he replied immediately, taking Gabriella by surprise as he untangled their legs and got off the bed. No, he couldn't. Not yet. He couldn't let her know he was a murderer. He knew that eventually he would have to tell her why his life was so dark and why she was the only light he had, but he wasn't ready to risk it.

The brunette turned to look at him, still sitting on his bed. His back was facing her. "Troy, please," she pleaded. "I need to know."

"You don't need to know anything," he growled, his shoulders square and his hands curled into fists.

"No, yes I do," Gabriella countered softly as she stood up from the bed. "I need to know the truth, because I know that what your father told me is a lie!" she said, taking hesitant steps towards Troy.

The blue eyed teen turned around abruptly, making Gabriella involuntarily gasp. For some reason her mind traveled to the time when Troy first drove her home from the Coffee Shop, when he still had his wall up and his eyes didn't express anything, like if they were under a triple lock. So as she looked at his face in that moment, she saw the same expression he had that night, that same triple lock in his eyes expressing nothing but… nothing.

"Troy, don't do that," she pleaded again. "Don't shut me out."

"I'm not shutting you out. I just can't tell you," he growled at her. "Don't you get that? It's simply none of your fucking business, Gabriella!"

"But you are! You are shutting me out!" Gabriella exclaimed. "Troy, I know it's hard for you to open up to people! I know that better than anyone else in this world! But, please, it's me! I'm not just anybody! You know you can trust me!"

Troy narrowed his eyes at her. "I know you're not just anybody, Gabriella! That's exactly the fucking point!" he yelled. "So stop asking me about it, because I'm not going to fucking tell you!"

"Troy-."

"No, Gabriella," he cut her off before she could say anything else. "It's easy for you to push; it's easy for you to simply expect me to open up to you with something as private as my mother's death. But no, it's not. I honestly don't give a flying fuck of what my father told you, he's always been an asshole and a liar; it's your problem if you want to believe him or not. I won't tell you what really happened only so you can have a peace of mind. So get your nose out of my fucking business and mind your own! Are you able to understand that or do I have to make a fucking graphic for you?" he finished off, not really caring about the pain he saw flash through Gabriella's eyes.

After that, the already tense atmosphere became unbearable. The brunette stared at his face for a couple of seconds, analyzing his stoic expression, and expecting him to go back to the normal Troy, the Troy she knew so well. When he continued staring at her with absolutely no other emotion but anger, she nodded to herself and turned around, taking her bag from the bed.

"You know, Troy?" she started off softly, staring down at the mattress. "You once told me that you weren't a coward and that you faced your problems instead of running away from them," she said, turning around and facing him once again.

Troy rolled his eyes. "Oh please, don't start-."

"No!" she cut him off firmly. "You said what you had to say, now you let me talk!" she told him, staring at him with anger and hurt. "All I see here is that you're scared; scared that I'll run away if you tell me the truth. But Troy, you've always been the fastest out of the both of us. You've always been the one to run away from your problems, from reality, from consequences, from your fears…even if you say you don't. And it hurts me that you think that I'll just leave."

Troy's eyes began to soften as she spoke. "Gabriella-."

"Shut up! I'm not done yet!" she yelled at him, getting him quiet. "It hurts me to think that you don't trust me. I thought that during these past few months I've showed you that I'm not only your friend, but I'm someone you can rely on and count on, and someone who won't ever leave you alone," she stared directly into his eyes. "So go ahead and run away, avoid your fears! I don't care anymore! I thought we were past this whole wall thing you try pull off, but I see that we're not. I already know that story, Troy… and I'm sick of it; I've been through that, and no, Troy, just… don't try to pull that off with me anymore. Not me."

With that, the brunette walked past him and started for the door. Troy stared after her, not sure if he should stop her or let her go. But before he could decide, Gabriella did it for him and unlocked the door quickly before she stormed off, not giving him the time to react.

After that, he just stood there, staring at the open door as if he was waiting for her to return. But he knew that she wouldn't. He knew she was right, he was awfully scared. He was scared that he would lose her; she was the best thing that has ever happened to him and he wouldn't bear to lose her.

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><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**TEEHEE! *Troll Mary* (you know, instead of Troll Dad? xD I have to stop being on Facebook so much -.-) **

**Oh, aren't I a little evil creature? **

**I was planning on doing this chapter a little longer, but if I had added what's coming on next chapter, it would've been a 12 thousand word chapter, and for me that's a bit too long, so I decided to cut it down a bit! **

**Don't worry, don't worry, the next chapter will be out soon, I wouldn't leave you with such a cliffhanger if I wasn't going to post next chapter soon! You know I don't update too often xD **

**But yesss, this was fast, I know! I told ya that the last chapters were going to be hell easy to write because they are the reason why I created this story in the first place! :3 **

**Anyway, hope you have liked it! It didn't go exactly as planned, but… meh, I kinda like it! **

**Don't forget to leave a review behind saying how horrible I am! Lol. **

**Oh! And sorry for grammar and spelling mistakes! (I get mixed up at times -.-) **

**Lots of love,**

**Mary. **

**P.S: Don't forget to follow me on twitter! (btzzmary) **


	22. You can have my heart

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter twenty-one_

**Please Read, Enjoy and Review! **

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><p>Annie looked over at the clock on the wall and sighed, it was 8:00 PM and Troy hadn't come out of his room in two hours. After she saw Gabriella storm out of the house without saying goodbye, she knew that something had gone wrong, but she wasn't sure if she should've gone upstairs to try and talk to the teen or not. Knowing Troy, she knew that he would've preferred to be left alone.<p>

But it was now getting late, her husband was caught up in some emergency surgery (so he was going to be late to pick her up) and she was awfully worried for the teen; so she stood up from the couch carefully and waddled up the stairs. At some point he would have to talk it out.

After three excruciating set of stairs, Annie finally made it to the third story and knocked on Troy's door.

"Fuck off," she heard him growl and sighed, rolling her eyes; she had expected that same answer. She couldn't believe how well she knew him. _Prepare for battle_, she thought and opened the surprisingly unlocked door.

"Troy," she called his name as she saw him lying on his front, facing away from her. "Honey, you've been here two hours, you have to eat something," she told him.

"I'm not fucking hungry," he growled again, not turning to look at her. "Now get the fuck out."

Annie rolled her eyes again; yes, she also knew he was going to be that way. She let out a puff of air and closed the door behind her before she waddled over to his bed. She sat on the edge and twisted her mouth to the side, trying to figure out what to do.

"Okay," she breathed out, scooting closer to Troy as best as she could. "Tell me what happened."

"Annie, I'm not in the fucking mood," he grumbled, burying his face in his pillow. "So leave me the fuck alone," he mumbled.

"I see you have the fuck in your mouth," she said and then smirked when Troy turned to look at her with a glare.

"You're not funny, Annette," he growled. Did she always have to try to talk to him in the worst moments?

The cook shrugged. "But I made you look at me," she smirked and Troy rolled his eyes. "Come on, Troy, what happened?" she asked, rubbing his back.

"I screwed up, that's what happened," he told her, reluctantly, burying his face into the pillow again.

"Now that I figured," she said, earning a grunt from Troy. "What I don't know is what you did to screw things up."

Troy sighed exasperatedly into his pillow; she wasn't going to leave, was she? He turned to his side and stared up at Annie. "If I tell you, will you leave me alone?" he asked annoyed.

"Troy, either way you're going to tell me because, well, it's you," she said, making him glare at her. "But if it makes you feel better, yes, I will leave you alone."

Troy shook his head at her and sat up. Sometimes he didn't know who annoyed him the most, Annie or Gabriella. He sighed, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and middle finger. "Jack told her something about my mom… and she asked me how she died," he said, bending his knees and resting his elbows over them. "I didn't want to tell her, so I told her to stop nosing into my business and to start minding her own, that I wasn't going to tell her only so she could have a peace of mind," he murmured. "Then she said something about how I didn't trust her and that I was just afraid that she would run away," he paused, staring at his hands. "And she's right –I am afraid to lose her; she's the best thing that has ever happened to me, and… I'm not ready to risk losing her."

Annie felt like her heart sunk into her stomach as she listened to the teen. She sighed, placing a hand over her big tummy. "You want to know what I think Troy?" she asked.

"Not really," he grumbled, scratching his head and staring down at the mattress.

Annie gave him a look before continuing. "I think you should tell her."

"Agh," Troy complained with a growl. What part of 'he can't' people didn't understand? "Annie-."

"Listen to me," she cut him off, raising her pointer finger at him. What was it with women cutting him off, lately? "You said that this girl was worth the shot," she reminded him. "So you tell her or you lose her, simple as that; you're gonna drive her away if you continue shutting her out, Troy. All she's asking from you is to believe in her."

"It's not that simple," Troy said, exasperatedly. "Annie, I can't… I just… I just can't."

"Troy, she's not going to run away," Annie told him, confidently. "Trust me."

He scoffed. "What do you know?"

"Think about it," the cook began. "Even after whatever your father told her or did to her, she still stayed; she was crying and seemed quite shaken, but she still stayed. And she waited for you. Any other girl would've run home and changed their number, but she didn't. In my opinion, I think that girl loves you, and she won't care about your past," she told him. "Troy, I would honestly love it if you told her; because this thing about your mother is killing you inside. I don't care if you tell me or not, just… tell her," she pleaded. "If you continue pushing her away, she won't be the one closing the door, Troy, you will."

With that last comment, Troy didn't have anything else to say to contradict her with; so he stayed silent and processed her words, trying to figure out what his next move should be. Annie smiled softly at him and patted his leg. "Come on, lover boy, I'll fix you something to eat."

* * *

><p>Later that night, Troy kept moving and tossing around in his bed. Not only because it was raining profusely and thunders would go off every two seconds, but also because his head wouldn't stop replaying the moment when Gabriella ran up to him in the living room and hugged him, the way she curled up against his chest as he held her on his bed, her pained expression after he told her to mind her own business, the anger in her eyes as she told him that she was sick of his defensive wall, and the way she had stormed off without looking back.<p>

There was a point where he stopped trying to fall asleep, simply because he could no longer bear to look at her angry and hurt expression every time he closed his eyes. He sighed. _You're gonna drive her away if you continue shutting her out, Troy. If you continue pushing her away, she won't be the one closing the door, Troy, you will. In my opinion, that girl loves you. _Annie's voice rang in his ears. _It hurts me that you think that I'll just leave. It hurts me to think that you don't trust me. So go ahead and run away, avoid your fears! I don't care anymore! _Then Gabriella's voice continued.

"God," he groaned, rubbing his face with his palms. "I have to fix this," he decided. He turned to look at the time on the alarm clock on his bedside table. 2:21AM. Gabriella was sure going to kill him, but he didn't care, he had to talk to her.

Troy threw the covers off of him and stood up, grabbing his jeans from the floor and putting them on, quickly. He slipped his sneakers on and he grabbed his dirty black t-shirt from the floor. He grabbed his hoody, his keys and iPhone and rushed down the stairs, not caring if he woke anyone up.

He wouldn't have minded picking the motorcycle because, even though it was raining, at the end it was faster; but he decided to choose the car, knowing that if Gabriella's dad woke up, he wouldn't like it very much if he showed up in his motorcycle; he won't like it that he was going to show up that late, anyway, so he shouldn't upset him more.

Troy's heart was beating rapidly against his chest as he got closer and closer to Gabriella's house. He had no idea what he was going to tell her, he had no idea how she was going to react and he had no idea if she would forgive him or not. He would have to insist if she didn't, he would serenade her if necessary; he cringed at the thought, but it didn't matter, he had to make sure that his Gabriella wouldn't go anywhere. At that point, he had become too selfish to let her walk away just like that.

He parked in front of her house and took a deep breath after he killed the engine. He looked into the rear view mirror; not a single car, not a single soul. The street was dark and lonely; empty. He scoffed silently to himself. For some reason, that emptiness reminded him of how his life had been so far. He was seven years old when he first witnessed death; he lost the only person who truly loved him. And then he had his always absent father blame him for it until the point where he started to believe it. He ignored his friends, became a loner and started getting in trouble; he was trying to punish himself for a mistake he didn't mean to do.

No, he didn't want his life to be like that anymore, he didn't want to waste another day stuck in the grief of his past. He didn't want to suffer anymore and Annie opened his eyes to the possibility of something better. He wanted to forgive himself, he wanted to move on, he wanted to be happy; he wanted to step out of the miserable life he had created for himself.

But what he wanted the most…was to truly believe that he deserved that happiness.

He couldn't do that until he was certain that Gabriella wouldn't run away. She was the reason why he started believing that he could overcome his shadowed life. If she hadn't appeared, he would still be the boy who believed that he deserved no happiness whatsoever.

That's why he had decided to tell her. Maybe he had gone there just to apologize first, but in those two minutes he sat there in his car, looking into the rear view mirror, he simply knew he had to tell her. It was going to be hard, it was going to be painful and he was going to be scared as hell. He wasn't ready, but then again, when would he be ready?

Troy closed his eyes. _This is so fucked up_. It was 2:30 AM, it was raining, he was going to show up at Gabriella's doorstep with absolutely no idea what he was going to say and he was risking his physical health if her brother or father opened the door. _So fucked up_, he thought again.

He shook his head and placed his hoody over his head before stepping out of the car. It was now or never. "Holy Shit!" he hissed as the pouring rain started getting him wet. It had to be raining, didn't it? Stupid Global Warming. He rushed over to the Montez's front porch and, once he was under the roof, a lightning lit up the sky and a thunder went off, making him wince slightly.

Troy took a deep breath, pushing his hoody off his head. "Come on, mom, give me strength," he murmured to himself and rang the doorbell a couple of times. He waited patiently for a couple of minutes and when no one opened the door, he rang the doorbell again and banged his fist against the door. Yes, he was going to die.

He saw a light go on through the window and he prayed that it was Gabriella who opened the door. But no. Karma was a bitch.

"What the fuck, Bolton?" Tom growled as he saw his sister's boyfriend standing outside in his front porch. "Do you know what fucking time it is?"

"Yes," he told him monotonously, shoving his hands into his hoody's wet pockets. "I need to talk to Gabriella."

Tom gave him a murderous look. "You've got to be shitting me," he grumbled, shaking his head at him. "She's asleep, you know? Like normal people do at 2:30 in the morning? And I'm pretty much sure that she doesn't want to talk to you at the moment."

"Look Tom," Troy sighed. "I'm sorry it's late and I'm sorry I woke you up. But I screwed up big time and I _need_ to talk to Gabriella."

"Can't you wait until morning like a normal boyfriend?" he asked him, rubbing his face in annoyance; he was going to kill him.

"No," he shook his head; if he backed down now, he might never do it. "So you go get her or I'll climb up her window; but I _have_ to talk to her right now."

Tom looked at his face for a second or two; nope, he wasn't going anywhere, he was determined to talk to his sister whatever the cost. He let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed his face again; he was too tired for this. Gabriella would just have to deal with him on her own; she's the one who got herself a weirdo boyfriend, not him!

"Fine," he gave in, opening the door wider. "Come in, I'll go get her."

"Thank you," Troy let out a sigh as he stepped in and Tom closed the door behind him.

"Wait here," the brown eyed boy grumbled. He let out a yawn and stomped up the stairs.

Gabriella turned on her side as she heard Tom make his way up the stairs; she wondered if he finally got rid of the person at their door. Like Troy, she couldn't sleep either; all she could think about was what Jack told her and Troy's harsh and impenetrable cold eyes. Maybe she had pushed him too hard. Maybe he was right and all she wanted was a peace of mind. She didn't deny that at first she wanted to be one-hundred percent sure that Jack had lied to her, but the thing was, that after that, what really bothered her was that he didn't trust her.

Her door suddenly opened and Gabriella frowned confused as she saw her brother come in. "Tom? What's the matter?" she asked, shielding her eyes from the hall's light with her left hand.

"Oh, good, you're awake," he said, grumpily. "Go talk to your boyfriend."

The brunette blinked, sitting up in her bed. "What?" she asked, taken aback.

Tom sighed. "Your boy-toy's downstairs. He says he has to talk to you."

"Now?" she frowned bewildered, grabbing her cell phone from her bedside table. "It's 2:37 in the morning."

"Yeah, that's what I told him," Tom grumbled, letting out a yawn. "If you want to get rid of him, do it yourself, he's too fucking stubborn and I'm too fucking tired to kick him out. Plus he's your boyfriend, not mine," he added.

Gabriella sighed, throwing the covers off of her and slipping on her slippers. Why the hell wouldn't Troy wait until a decent hour? She walked over to the door and kissed Tom on the cheek. "Go to bed, I'll handle him," she told him and Tom nodded.

"No funny business, Gabriella," Tom warned her and she rolled her eyes.

"I really don't think that that's going to happen right now, Thomas," she informed her brother. The brunette took a deep breath and let it out slowly before she started descending down the stairs. She couldn't believe that Troy was there at 2 in the morning just so he could talk to her. To be honest with herself, she didn't feel like talking to him at the moment, in fact, she wasn't sure if she should just send him home or not. But as she saw him facing the door and wet from the rain, she knew she couldn't.

She sighed. "Troy?" she called his name and watched him freeze in his spot for a second or two before he turned around to face her. She finished her way down and crossed her arms. "It's almost 3 in the morning, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Uh," Troy's heart pounded loudly, so much that he wondered if Gabriella could hear it. He scratched his head and cleared his throat, shoving his hands into his jean pockets. "I…I need to talk to you," he said, looking at her shyly, something that took Gabriella off guard; he had never looked at her that way before.

"You couldn't have waited until morning like normal people?" she asked, shaking her head at him in disbelief.

"No," he replied. "If I don't do this now, I'm afraid I won't do it later."

Gabriella looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

Troy took a deep breath before lowering his head. "Gabriella," he paused. "God, how do I start?" he murmured to himself, running his fingers through his hair. He looked at her; she looked puzzled; it was obvious that she had no idea of what was going on through her boyfriend's head. He took a step towards her and uncrossed her arms before taking her hands in his. Gabriella looked at him worriedly, but let him intertwine his fingers with hers; somehow knowing that he needed it. He sighed. "You know I have a secret," he finally began. "And…because of it, I haven't been able to open up to you completely. I've been… dying inside... little by little ever since it happened; it's something that, for much as I want to, I will never be able to forget. I've been running in circles during eleven years, Gabriella, not knowing where to go or what to do with my life; to be honest, I've never seen the point of living…not until," he gulped. "Until I met you," he murmured that last part, staring into her eyes. "I know it won't make sense to you, and I know we're young and still a bit naïve, but you've given me a reason to believe that, perhaps, I can step out of this stupid circle and start all over," the brunette looked at him, lost for words. She had no idea exactly how she should feel at what she was hearing; she was still trying to get over the fact that Troy had showed up at her house to talk to her at 2:30 in the morning. She squeezed his fingers affectionately, not knowing what else to do, and Troy took that as a good sign.

"I have no idea how or the reason why," he continued. "But you're the only one who I've ever wanted, or honestly needed. And I honestly don't know what the hell you saw in me, Cupcake," he shook his head. "When I was younger, I've always thought that I would be a basketball player, that I would have good grades, that I would earn a scholarship and that I would play for the NBA someday. Gabby, I'm not even the half of that! Jeez, I'm quite the opposite! I'm…I'm broken, you know?" his voice broke a bit. "I'm shattered! I wasn't a good person to you; I haven't been a good person to anyone since my mom. Not even to Annie, and she's been there for me all along," he sighed. "Gabriella, what I want to say is that I don't have much to offer you. I'll always be that person who'll hurt you, even if I don't want to. But… if you still want to, you can have my heart. I mean, it's damaged and a little bruised, and doesn't know how to love properly… but it's yours if you want it."

The brunette, who had remained silent during Troy's speech, looked up at him with tears starting to form in her eyes. Her heart was pumping loudly with joy and at the same time sadness; she couldn't believe he had such a low concept about himself. To her, he was the greatest person she had ever known. He was kind and caring, he wasn't very patient, but with her he was; he always looked after her, even when he had his wall up, and he would always help Annie any way he could.

Gabriella took a step forward and let go of Troy's hands only so she could place them at each side of his face. "Troy Bolton… I'll always want your heart," she told him, staring directly into his blue eyes. "Whatever happens between the two of us; whether we fight or hurt each other's feelings, I'll always want your heart. Are you able to understand that or do I have to make a graphic for you?" she asked with raised eyebrows, making reference to his comment from the afternoon before. Troy chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a tight hug, which she happily returned. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and closed his eyes. For some reason he felt safe there.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"I forgive you," she murmured in his ear. "And Troy?"

"Mm?"

"Don't ever say that you're not a good person," she told him. "Because you are. In fact, you're an amazing person. So if you ever say that you're not, again, I'll chop your dick off and feed it to Chad's dog, okay?" she whispered sweetly in his ear, making him chuckle again.

"I love the way you handle different things the same way," he murmured as he pulled back. "Threatening my dick," he smirked,

"Oh, shut up!" she slapped him on his shoulder. "In my defense, I've been handling men for my entire life, including stupid cousins, and so far it hasn't failed me! So make fun of me all you want, but it always works!" she said.

"Oh really?" he gave her a cheeky smile and chuckled when Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him. He rolled his eyes and pecked her lips sweetly.

"Yes, really!" she nodded and rested her forehead against his. Troy sighed, closing his eyes contently, but that bliss didn't last more than a couple of seconds as another matter took over his mind; he wished he could just forget about it. He could avoid it, yes, but he knew he shouldn't; he had to know, and if he didn't do it in that moment, he was sure that he wouldn't do it in any other.

"Gabby?" Troy murmured.

"Mmm?" she hummed, smiling at ease.

The boy cleared his throat, the nerves consuming him again. "There's…," he trailed off and sighed, trying to find the courage. "There's something else I need to tell you," he said, pulling back and opening his eyes.

Gabriella opened them too and looked at him curiously. "What?"

"Well," he started off, gulping. "I…I've been thinking… of what you told me, and you're right," he said, making Gabriella cock her head to the side so she could get a better look of him. "I've been avoiding telling you this because I'm afraid. I'm afraid that you'll just be another thing in my life that will simply slip away from me," he told her, staring directly into her eyes. "But… I don't want to keep avoiding my fears anymore. I trust you…," he paused. "And… I want to tell you how my mom died."

The brunette looked at him, feeling like if her stomach had sunk to her feet with discomfort. She blinked. "What?"

"I-I want to tell you how my mom died," he repeated.

"Oh, Troy, no," Gabriella shook her head, a guilty knot forming at the pit of her stomach. "No, Troy, don't. I-I don't care what happened, okay? I-I'm sorry I pushed you into thinking that you needed to tell me. I was wrong. You were right; I just wanted a peace of mind because I was scared of what your father told me. Then it became about trust issues, but…" she shook her head, noticing that she was starting to get off topic. "Troy, no, I'm sorry I made you believe that I needed you to prove me that you trust me. Really, you don't have to-."

Troy sighed and placed his thumb over her lips, silencing her. "Gabby, forget about that," he told her, shaking his head. "At some point I would have to tell you, anyways. And I need to tell you now, because tomorrow I may punk out, okay? I have to do this for me," he admitted, removing his thumb from her lips. "Now, it's… it's going to be really hard for me; I've never told this to anyone before and I'm scared as hell, so I need you to be patient with me and I need you to try to understand that this is painful for me. Can you do that?"

Gabriella, realizing that he was actually going to tell her his biggest secret, nodded her head. "I'll do whatever you need me to do," she told him, dropping her hands from his shoulders so she could lace her fingers with his. "Now come, let's sit down," she tugged on his hand and led him into the living room. They sat on the brown leather couch and Troy let out a shaky breath, making Gabriella squeeze his hand. "I'm here, okay? I'm here to stay and I won't go anywhere. Whatever you tell me," she said, placing her free hand over his cheek. "Please believe me."

In that moment he believed her, he knew she truly meant it. _But we'll see_, he thought, nodding his head. The brunette smiled at him and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Alright," she nodded, retrieving her hand from his cheek and holding his hand with both of hers.

The blue eyed teen couldn't feel any more uneasy, his hands were beginning to sweat, making him wish that Gabriella wasn't holding his hand, his heart was beating almost at the speed of sound and the wet material of his hoody was beginning to irritate the skin of his neck. He decided to take it off, taking advantage to remove his hand from Gabriella's.

He placed his hoody on the coffee table in front of them and rubbed his clammy hands on his jeans. He placed his elbows on his thighs and joined his hands between his open legs. The teen took one last breath, knowing that he couldn't stall any longer. He couldn't believe he was doing this.

"November 15th of 2001," he finally began with a sigh, staring down at his hands. "That was the day she died," he said and gulped before continuing. "That's the day… I… killed my own mother," he murmured painfully, not daring to look at his girlfriend, whose face had paled at his words. He cleared his throat, softly. "Chad had come over for dinner after school, since his mom had to be at the hospital that day. She normally didn't work on Fridays and took Chad out for dinner, but there had been an accident that day and she was paged; so she asked my mom if she could look after him and, naturally, she said yes," he continued and then made a small pause. "Chad… was like my brother; we've known each other practically since birth. So I was thrilled with the idea of him coming over, you know? Have someone to play basketball with? Jack always kept saying that he would play with me after dinner, but, every single time, he would get called from the office and he would leave right away. My mom didn't like that; she would always get into fights with him over why he wouldn't spend more time with me. _I have to work, Lucille, I don't have time to play with the kid!" _he quoted his father and smiled bitterly. "My mom tried to play basketball with me sometimes, but she was a nurse, so she was busy too," he said. Gabriella looked at the side of his face; his eyes were turning slightly dark.

"She didn't work full time, though," Troy scratched the back of his hand. "She would stay home on weekends and Fridays, and would always be home by dinner," he faint smiled for a moment, remembering how she would dance around the kitchen as she prepared Troy's favorite –Fried Chicken. "How much I wished she was paged from the Hospital like Chad's mom that day," he mumbled, shaking his head. He passed his tongue over his dry lips before continuing. "Chad and I went out to play in the backyard after dinner; Jack had installed a basketball court for me and I was… excited to share it with Chad. My mom stayed inside to wash the dishes, but she could still keep a good eye on us through the kitchen window. I remember how she was laughing at us from inside –we still couldn't reach the hoops, we were seven years old, but that didn't keep us from trying; once in a while we would be able to aim one," he said. "I guess Jack didn't think that through," he paused, shrugging. He rolled his lips together and scratched the side of his nose, his insides churning at what was coming next. Gabriella sensed it too and reached forward to hold onto Troy's hand again. Troy looked down at their intertwined hands and dared to look up at the brunette's face. He couldn't read her expression, but he knew she was…being his friend; she was just being Gabriella. He sighed, looking back down to their hands to avoid her scrutinizing eyes.

"I threw the ball too high, trying to reach the net," he murmured, watching Gabriella's thumb rubbing the back of his hand. "It went over the fence and bounced to the other side of the street. Chad and I began arguing about who was supposed to get the ball, and then," he gulped. "My mom came out and… made us make a round of that stupid game of '_Rock, Paper, Scissors'_. I ended up losing," he said. "I got really mad but, after my mom gave me a stern look, I gave in and went to get the ball. I opened the gate and she followed me out while Chad stayed inside, snickering. I turned to look at both sides before crossing; no one was on the road, so I walked over to the other side and took the ball. When I turned around, I saw my mom smirking at me. I didn't want to look at her smirk, I hated when she got her way and I didn't, you know how proud I am; so I looked down," he muttered and paused for a moment. He closed his eyes, tightening his grip on Gabriella's hand as the scene replayed in his head for the millionth time. "The second time I didn't look before crossing," he admitted softly and Gabriella felt a lump forming in her throat. "I heard her scream my name and…I looked up. I turned to my left and saw a car approaching me full speed. It honked at me to move, but I was frozen on my spot," he paused again. "Before I had time to process what was going on, I felt her push me out of the car's way. I landed on my back and I hit my head against the pavement. For a moment, I was disorientated; my head was pounding and my heart was beating in my ears. I… I didn't know where I was or what had happened, but then I heard Jack yell my mom's name; that was what brought me back. At first it was distant, like an eco, but then it began getting clearer. I tried pushing myself up with my elbows, but it was hard with everything spinning around. I…I opened my eyes and…," he trailed off, his heart aching with sorrow at the image of his dead mother lying in the middle of the road.

Knowing that he wouldn't be able to continue, Gabriella suppressed a pained whimper as she scooted as close to him as she could, letting go of his hand and wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders tightly. Troy's eyes shot open as he felt Gabriella's hand slip away from his, feeling a horrible twist in his stomach for a second, before he felt her arms around him. He blinked his tired eyes twice, before he relaxed into her embrace and hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her close, making her get on her knees before passing one of her legs over his lap, straddling him. Troy closed his eyes again and buried his nose on her shoulder, tightening his grip around her middle.

They stayed like that for a good couple of minutes. Troy melted into her embrace, holding on to her in dear life. He was afraid that if he let go of her, she would vanish; that the body he was holding on to was just an illusion and that in reality she had fled.

Gabriella's heart broke as soon as she saw his pained expression as he described the scene of how his mother died. She held him tightly, just as if she was trying to prevent him from falling apart; no, she couldn't let him fall apart, she wouldn't. Gabriella couldn't believe that he thought he was a murderer; it made her want to cry.

Reluctantly, she pulled back so she could take a look at his face. It was a little hard since he seemed to not want to loosen his grip around her; but once he did, he felt Gabriella pose her hands on each side of his face. He opened his eyes only to stare into her brown orbs. He frowned slightly, noticing that they were a little glassy, just like she wanted to cry. He felt her rub his cheek with her thumb, oblivious that she was also studying his face. The brunette sighed. She knew that he was scared and she didn't like that; she wanted him to truly believe that she wouldn't go anywhere, that there wasn't a reason for her to run away. Gabriella leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead, something that made Troy relax profusely.

"If only I hadn't looked down," he mumbled after a moment, making Gabriella pull back and stare at his face. "If only I hadn't thrown the ball over the fence…"

"Troy…" the brunette ran her fingers through his hair, but he didn't pay attention to her.

"If it wasn't because of my stupidity she would still be here, you know?" he continued. "I miss her… every day. But what right do I have to miss her when I'm the one who killed her?" he asked rhetorically. Gabriella frowned, shaking her head.

"Troy-."

"At least Jack was right about that," he breathed. "I have no right to cry over her. I'm being selfish enough just by letting myself be with you-."

"Stop it!" Gabriella hissed at him, covering his mouth with her hand. "Stop it, Troy Alexander!" she ordered him firmly. Troy looked up at her and tried removing her hand from his mouth, but Gabriella held his wrist roughly, restraining him from doing so. "Your father, Troy, is a fucking asshole who deserves to rot in hell, do you hear me?" she told him, her voice shaking with anger and sadness. "He is wrong! It's not your fault! It was an accident! A horrible one! And I hate the fact that you had to witness it when you were only 7 years old! God, Troy, you were just a child!" she cried, staring directly into his eyes. "You… were just… a child," she repeated, trying to make him understand that. "You're not a murderer, Troy Bolton! You do have the right to cry over her and you do have the right to miss her, because she was your mom, and no matter what Jack says, she loved you and she wouldn't want you to think the way you're thinking," she said. "Any real mother, who loves her children, would give her life… any day, any hour, any minute! She saved your life Troy, and you don't have to feel guilty about it because she did it because she loved you; you don't have to feel like a murderer about it! She wouldn't want you to waste your life like this! Feeling like you deserve nothing but being miserable," she told him. "And I hate to tell you this, but… she…will have died in vain, if you continue believing that you don't deserve to be happy and you continue living like you deserve to be in hell!" she told him, harshly, tears now spilling from her eyes. Her eyes softened profusely as she saw hurt and some sort of realization flash through her boyfriend's eyes. She hated telling him that, but she had to get some sense into him; and by that look in his eyes, she knew that she had succeeded.

After a moment, Gabriella let out a sigh and removed her hand from his mouth and let go of his wrist. She wiped her tears away and bit her lips together before placing her hands at both sides of his face again. She sniffled. "I hate the fact that Jack made you think that the only way to pay for your mother's death was by not being happy," she told him, her voice softer. "Especially by the fact that you were a little boy," she shook her head, closing her eyes. "Honestly, it makes me want to kill him. I understand that he loved your mom, but that's not excuse to blame his son for her death," she tightened her eyes, as she remembered what Jack had told her the afternoon before. She couldn't believe that he would go that far; she was right to not believe him.

Troy was lost for words. He listened to her, he really did and he understood what she was saying. But after so many years of believing what his father told him was true, he had a hard time wrapping his head around the idea of… not being guilty. "If I'm not a murderer, then why do I feel like one?" he questioned,softly. He saw Gabriella open her eyes and ponder for a moment.

"Because she was your mom, Troy," she answered simply. "And because Jack filled your head with misconceptions," she told him softly. "You were just seven, Troy, you didn't know, so you listened to him. Of course, why wouldn't you? He was your dad and you were supposed to believe him," she passed her tongue over her lips. "But now you know better and you know he isn't a good person, so please don't listen to him; please don't believe any of those lies! You said so yourself, he's a liar and an asshole. It's your choice to believe him or not," she repeated his sentences to him. "But I'm asking you not to, Troy."

Troy sighed. "It's hard to do so, when all you've heard while growing up is that you were a scumbag and a killer," he said, lowering his gaze.

"Then I'll start telling you how amazing and wonderful you are," she told him, lifting his chin up. "Because, even though you have your flaws, just like me and everyone else, you are a great person, Troy. When I look at you, I don't see a murderer," she said, caressing his cheek. "Not before and not now that I know. When I look at you, I see a guy who got the misfortune to witness death at such a young age and then got corrupted by his father. When I look at you, I see a guy who was afraid to trust me, but still got the courage to do it. But most importantly, I see a strong and kind guy with who I got the honor of bumping into in a flower shop," she told him. "Well, technically I fell and you helped me up, but that's not important. What's important is that I'm not going anywhere, because I _know_ that it was an accident and that you did nothing wrong. And even if you had done something wrong, I would still not go anywhere. And I'm sorry, but you're stuck with me forever."

Troy looked at her but didn't say anything. He still had trouble believing that what she was saying wasn't a product of his imagination. Sure, he had decided to tell her so he was certain that she wouldn't run away, that she was for real, and that maybe, just maybe, if he deserved her, he would also deserve to have a happy, normal life. He was almost sure that she was going to run away; he just hoped that she wouldn't change her mind the next day.

_No_, Troy thought, staring directly into Gabriella's eyes. _She won't_. Somehow he knew she wouldn't. Troy felt a pleasant knot in his stomach as he continued to stare at her. To be honest, he had no clue what love felt like, or what it was for that matter, but if he had to guess, he would say that it felt exactly the way he was feeling in that moment staring at his puffy-red-eyed girlfriend.

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><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Hello! *comes in wearing a football helmet and a lot of padding* There! Now you guys can hit me! ^^**

**I know, I know, I'm sorry! I know I said I would update soon and all that crap, and trust me that when I said that, I had my chapter almost done. **

**Well, technically this chapter isn't done. I still wanted to add a cute scene at the end to lighten up the mood, but… well, with school and all I haven't been inspired -.-**

**The hell, Mary! Didn't you say you took a year off before college? **

**Yeah, well, yes, I did. But remember when I told you that in my country we have to make an admission test to get into college (into any college really, unless you have an instant pass… but that's another matter) and that I didn't pass it? Well I'm taking a course to take that same test again. **

**You see, this college is like… the best one here in Mexico. It's really hard to get in. Actually, if you go on to the school's website, you don't see "Admission test… registration… or whatever". You see the words "CONTEST MARCH 2013" because like a fucking million students apply for this test! And it's a freaking contest! So, this course I'm taking practically assures you your place in there. **

**It's fucking hard! I have to go to school from Monday to Sunday and every Sunday I have a test of everything we've been seeing. So you can pretty much tell why I'm tired and I haven't been really inspired. **

**But I knew I couldn't keep you guys waiting any longer, so… I decided to leave the chapter there (where it's been for the past four weeks -.-) because I already wrote what was important. I still hope you enjoy it!**

**I won't update until I'm done with my course and I've taken my test (again -.-) and that will be in another 3 weeks. So please be patient! xD **

**Next chapter will be dramatic too, I promise! :D**

**Lots of love,**

**Your struggling writer, Mary. **

**P.S: SORRY FOR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING MISTAKES!**

**P.S 2: Don't forget to follow me on twitter at btzzmary :) **


	23. Baby Girl

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Twenty-two_

**Please Read, Enjoy and Review! **

**Last Chapter: Annie talked Troy into telling Gabby the truth; at 2 AM he went over to her house, her brother wasn't very pleased about it, but he gave in and let him talk to her. Troy apologized, in a very heart wrenching way and then continued by telling her how his mom died. Gabriella felt horrible about it because she thought that she had pushed him into it, but at the same time she felt thankful that Troy had trusted her enough to do it and it made her hate Jack Bolton even more. She tried to convince him that it wasn't his fault, that he was only a kid, and made him realize that if he continued thinking the way he was, then his mother's death would've been in vain. *Sigh* very emotional chapter, didn't turn out the way I wanted, but meh! It's only fanfiction. **

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><p>A ray of light intruded through the cream-colored curtains of Gabriella's room, hitting the closed eyes of the handsome teenage boy who was currently lying on her bed. His eyelids tightened, rejecting the disturbing light, and he groaned as the space between his dark eyebrows narrowed. His eyes fluttered open to reveal a pair of annoyed azure orbs and he cursed at the sun; it felt like he had only slept for 5 minutes. His eyelids still felt heavy, so he closed them again and turned around in the bed, hoping to bury his face in his pillow. He scrunched up his nose and opened his eyes again as he came in contact with a mass of black curly hair.<p>

Troy frowned confused as he glanced at the sleeping figure that was lying next to him; his eyes roamed over her well defined curves and the naked tanned skin of her arms before he finally recognized his girlfriend. A small smile grazed his face and his eyes softened.

The 3 month couple had talked until 4 AM –as in Troy talked and Gabriella listened. Not once had he opened up to someone like he had the night before, not even to Annie, and he didn't regret it one bit. He felt like a thousand pound burden was lifted off his shoulders; he actually felt lighter, both physical and emotionally. For the first time in his life, he felt something close to freedom. After he told her about his mother's death, Gabriella got off his lap to get him a glass of water, seeing that his lips were a little pale and dry; she felt sympathy towards the 17 year old teen at how scared and nervous he had been, but she had also felt proud at how he sucked in his fears and risked it. He also told her how every week –or every two– he would visit his mother grave at the cemetery, and that her favorite flowers were red tulips. Gabriella couldn't help but smile at how well he described his mother; for someone who had lost their mother at such a young age, he seemed to remember every detail of her.

Troy told her that it wasn't like that at first; that the memories returned with the years. He thought that the reason was because he was afraid that he would forget her, so some part of him began remembering those little details that made her his mom.

He told her how he hadn't cried since the day of her funeral. How he and Jack had stayed behind and told him that he had no right to cry over her, and that that was the first time that he had actually hit him.

He told her how the first few weeks, when Jack came home from work, he would suddenly stand up from the dining room table to have dinner by his own in his office –and sometimes the living room– and told him that he couldn't stand looking at him; and that after the first month, he would no longer be home by dinner. No matter how hard Gabriella tried, she couldn't imagine the loneliness that Troy felt before Annie decided to screw over Jack's rules and started having dinner with him in the kitchen; and that had happened only a few months ago. Troy had also told her that Annie tried to be friendly with him at first, but that one day, Jack had come home to pick up some papers that he had forgotten and caught her calling his son by his first name. He described how he yelled at her that he didn't want his son to mingle with the help and that he had to call him Mr. Bolton, even when he was just a 13 year old. Annie had been so scared to lose her job that she had to yield, and Troy was oblivious to the fact that the only reason she wanted to keep her job was because of him. Four years later, after hearing one of the many fights he had with his dad, Annie decided to violate Jack Bolton's oh-so-precious-rules. They hadn't been so close like in those last few months.

When Gabriella finally took a look at the clock on the white wall of her living room, she decided that it was a little too late to send Troy back home, even when the storm had ceased and it was way safer to drive. After a small argument, she convinced him to stay, knowing that his father and brother wouldn't barge into her bedroom the next morning –she wasn't the kindest person when she was woken up; the teenage girl would be capable of ripping someone's head off if they woke her up during summer vacations.

Troy scooted closer to her and wrapped his strong arm around her slim waist, careful to not squeeze her too much so he wouldn't wake her up. His heart pounded loudly as he buried his face into her soft black curls; the scent of vanilla and coconut filling his nostrils as he took in a slight whiff. He let out a pleased sigh; he couldn't recall the last time he felt… so peaceful. He believed that it was the first time in a long time that he had woken up without anything occupying his mind. And even though he couldn't have slept more than 3 hours, the blue eyed teen didn't feel that tired. Was that odd? Most likely.

Something within him made him pull the brunette's body a little closer and a little tighter, just like if he was hugging that old teddy bear his mother got him for his fifth birthday; he believed he still got it somewhere dropped in his closet. He rested his head on hers and felt a pleasing tug at his stomach when he heard a small moan being emitted from the tiny body wrapped up in his arm.

Troy felt Gabriella softly pull her left arm out of his grip and place her small hand on top of his. He couldn't help the goofy smile that spread across his tired face as she laced her fingers through his and pulled him closer to her. He didn't know if she was acting on her sleep or if she had woken up, but he had to admit that the sudden rush of joy that flooded his veins was nice. He squeezed her a little bit tighter and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Gabriella frowned sleepily as she felt Troy's dry lips press against her cheek. She let out a small yawn. "Troy?" she mumbled, his grip a little too tight for her liking.

"Mmm?" he mumbled back, squeezing the tip of her fingers tenderly.

"Why are you awake? What time is it?" she asked, drowsily. She felt him shrug.

"I dunno," he mumbled huskily, placing small butterfly kisses down her neck. "Probably around eight," he answered.

Gabriella let out a low growl at that comment. She opened her tired eyes and reached a lazy arm out to grab her cell phone from her messy bedside table. She pulled it towards the edge of the table with the tip of her fingers and, when it was at a more reasonable distance, she took it. She yawned again and blinked away the sleepy tears that formed in her eyes each time she yawned. She sniffled and checked the time on her phone. 10:34 AM.

"It's 10:30, Troy," she informed the teen coiled around her body and placed her phone back on her bedside table. "We have three hours of sleep left," she said and was responded by a soft groan and a kiss on the back of her neck. She smiled, feeling a funny tingle in her stomach, but before she could snuggle back into her pillow and into Troy, the iPhone next to her cell phone began buzzing. She groaned. "You have got to be kidding me…"

Gabriella heard Troy grumble something against her shoulder before he lifted his head up. "Is that mine?" he asked. The brunette nodded and he let out a frustrated sigh; that had to be Annie. He reached out across Gabriella's body, careful not to crush her and grabbed his iPhone. He looked at the Caller ID and rolled his tired blue orbs.

Troy pressed the green button and placed the phone to his ear. "What?" he hissed.

"_Where the hell are you?"_ Annie's hormone-crazy-angry voice hissed back at him. _"It's 10:30, Troy! Why aren't you in the house?"_

The 17 year old let out a sigh and rolled on his back. He rubbed his face with his free hand. Why did she always have to flip out when he wasn't in the mood to deal with her hormonal drama? "Annie, calm down, I'm at Gabriella's," he told her and then pulled the phone away with a wince when he heard her yell a 'WHAT?' Gabriella rolled over on to her side to face her boyfriend, a questioning look on her face.

"_What the hell are you doing at Gabriella's house this early?"_

"I spent the night," Troy answered with a yawn after he pulled the phone back to him. "I came over last night to…sort things out," he told her. There was a small moment of silence at the other end of the line and Troy turned to look at Gabriella as he waited for the cook's answer. The brunette bit her lower lip as she stared back at him and Troy grinned at her, as in telling her that there was nothing to worry about.

"_You… spent the night?"_ the cook repeated, getting Troy's attention. _"Really- God- You… you spent the night! Really? Oh my God, Troy Alexander! From all nights you…! Agh!"_ she growled.

Troy frowned, sitting up and resting his back against the headboard. "Whoa, slow down; I thought you'd be happy. Why are you flipping out on me?" he asked but then rolled his eyes, immediately thinking that it was just her pregnancy hormones speaking.

"_I am happy for you, Troy! It's just…"_ she sighed. _"You're a dumbass!" _

The teen's frown deepened. "What did I do now?" he grumbled monotonously.

"_Well, remember that breakfast your dad wanted to have with your future step-mother and your future step-sister?"_ she asked and Troy could almost see the sarcastic smile on her face. Jack hadn't really said anything about marriage, but Annie and Troy liked to joke about it. After that disastrous dinner Jack tried to pull off, he gave it another shot the next Friday. Troy apologized to Lydia and her kid, like he had promised his mom at the graveyard, and after that, they both had been hanging around a little bit more. Not like Troy spent any time with them, but every time he came home he would find the girl, Terry, in the living room watching Discovery Channel; Troy could tell she was a smart girl, but it was still odd. When he was young he watched cartoons, and he was smart as hell. Well today's cartoons suck anyway.

Troy yawned and rubbed his left eye with his palm. "So that was today?" he mumbled, impassively.

"_Yes, that was today!"_ the cook exclaimed, clearly annoyed with Troy's indifference. _"Troy, you promised me that you would show up and behave,"_ she reminded him. She would surely snap if Jack scolded her for not controlling his son again. It wasn't a very good idea to get into her nerves when she was two weeks away from giving birth; she had too many hormones and too many opinions in her being that were jumping at the opportunity to release.

The teen rolled his eyes again, an acid knot forming in the pit of his stomach at the pure thought of being in the same room with his father. He stayed silent for a moment. He knew that in the second that he stepped into the house he would launch himself at Jack and probably punch him for what he did to Gabriella. He honestly didn't believe that he would be able to 'behave' like Annie wanted.

"Yes, well, I don't think I'll be showing up," he finally spoke and had to pull the phone away from his ear once more as she yelled again.

"_WHAT! What do you mean you won't be showing up?"_ she screeched. _"You can't do this to me, Troy Alexander! Do you know what your father will do to me?"_ she asked. _"No, wait! Do you know what I'll do to your father if he starts screaming at me, again? I'll probably start crying and then I'll tell him off and then I'll get fired! Is that what you want? You want to get me fired?"_ she rambled dramatically.

Troy sighed, feeling too tired to actually feel annoyed at her hormonal ramble. Yes, he wasn't exactly pleased about it, but it actually surprised him that he didn't feel like choking her with her kitchen cloth. He rubbed his face. "Annie, either way, it's going to be a disaster," he told her. "And no, I don't want to get you fired."

"_Then show up to the stupid breakfast!"_ she exclaimed, stubbornly. And she had every right to; Troy had willingly agreed to help her without any blackmail from her part.

"Annie-."

"_No, Troy! I'm hormonal, and upset, and fat; my feet are swollen, my back hurts and I haven't crapped in two day!" _she exclaimed._ "And I really feel like strangling someone!"_ she added. _"So because you care about me, you're going to make things easier for me and show up to this breakfast and behave like you promised me to!"_

"Annie-," Troy tried to speak again.

"_And I want you here in the next 15 minutes, you hear me? Or else you'll see me really mad! Whatever you have seen before will be nothing compared to what will be awaiting you if you don't show up!"_ she growled at the end and then hung up the phone before Troy could say anything further.

"Annie!" he exclaimed a little too late and sighed again, dropping his phone on the comforter between him and Gabriella. Damn her and her pregnancy hormones. He should really scare her into labor or something; he couldn't take it anymore, she was driving him crazy. He had definitely forgotten how she was when she was pregnant; he wondered how her kids and her husband were handling her. For some reason he hoped that she was driving them crazy as well.

Gabriella twisted her mouth to one side as she watched her boyfriend rub both of his eyes with his palms; a clear sign that he was frustrated with the situation. She had barely heard a little of what Annie had said through the phone, so she had a vague idea as to why he was so moody.

The brunette sat up slowly and yawned. Her eyelids still felt heavy, but that didn't matter, she knew that she wouldn't go back to sleep; once she was up, she was up. That was why she hated being woken up when she still felt tired; she didn't mind making an exception for Troy though.

She scooted closer to her boyfriend and took his wrists, pulling his hands away from his face so he would look at her.

"What?" he grumbled, turning to her. He felt his heart skip a beat as their eyes met. She looked so beautiful; her hair was up in a very messy bun, stray hairs invaded her slightly greasy face, her lips were a little dry and she had rheumy eyes. Yes, she was a mess, but to him she looked magnificent.

"What's up?"

"Nothing," he shook his head, brushing the stray hairs out of her face. Gabriella smiled. "Just another stupid breakfast that Jack planned," he mumbled with disgust. "I haven't really been showing up to his second family's… get together's… or whatever you want to call them…and he's been bothering Annie about it. So I promised her that I would go to the next one," he explained. "But I don't think I'll go.."

The brunette gave him a questioning look. "And why not?"

Troy's eyes drifted to the comforter and then looked back up into her brown ones. Gabriella's stomach twisted with discomfort as his baby blue turned into a deep, dangerous navy blue color. "I'll kill him as soon as I see his face," he growled in explanation. The determinacy in his voice scared Gabriella a little, no hint of hesitation was found in his voice. "I need a couple of days to calm down."

Gabriella frowned. "Is that because of me?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

Troy nodded. Why lie? "He shouldn't have done that to you," he grumbled, looking away from her. He bent his comforter-covered knees up, resting his elbows over them.

"Troy…" she sighed, scooting a little bit closer to him so their shoulders were touching. She rested her chin over his shoulder, making Troy to look at her with a curious spark in his eyes, the dark color clearing up a bit. He arched an eyebrow at her and Gabriella couldn't help but blush at his deep stare. Troy bit back a smirk. This woman drove him crazy.

"What?"

"Maybe you should go. To the breakfast, I mean," she told him honestly, biting the inside of her cheek and fighting the sudden urge to grab his face and slam her lips on his; her breath probably stank and she needed to focus on their conversation. Perhaps later. Troy opened his mouth to answer but she spoke before he could. "Trust me, I get it. I'd feel the same if I was in your shoes, but, Troy, if you promised Annie and you know that your father will just upset her then I really think you should go. Think about it, she's due any day now and I don't think that putting her under unnecessary stress is going to help her."

"I know," he mumbled, still staring into her magnificent brown orbs. "But you're my girlfriend, Gabriella. Do you have any idea of how I felt when you told me the way my fucking father treated you?" he asked her in a murmur. "I felt like killing him. Just by imagining him doing to you the same things he does to me…" he trailed off, closing his eyes. He clenched his fists, making his knuckles turn white. "If I get the chance of inflicting some damage to him, trust me when I say that I'll take it. And that'll just put Annie in a worse situation."

Gabriella twisted her mouth to one side and chewed on her tongue, thoughtfully. She knew he was right; either way Annie would end up screwed. There wasn't really any way that could really spare Annie from the stress. If Jack was a little more rational guy, or if Troy could control his bad temper, then they wouldn't be in that dilemma.

Her eyes traveled down to his clenched fists. She placed her right hand over one of them and saw how they loosened their grip almost instantly. She heard him sigh. The brunette burrowed her brow as her mind quickly pointed something out – somehow, he always managed to calm down when he was around her. Sure, it took a while, and she had to endure a couple of good minutes before he even started to relax, but eventually, he did. She continued on chewing her tongue.

She couldn't quite accompany him, though.

He had said so himself; he wouldn't bear having Gabriella in the same room as Jack for a third time. That would probably just put him more on the edge.

So what could Gabriella do to help him? How could she be with him without being…physically there?

The brunette smiled as an idea popped into her head. Sure, it was silly and a little childish, but it could help.

"What if I texted you every five minutes?" she asked with an innocent grin. "Would it help?"

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "What?"

* * *

><p>Gregory Montez shook his head with anger as he watched Troy's Audi drive off that morning.<p>

He had heard mumbles coming from his daughter's room that morning; he had heard them discuss and then laugh. Then, he heard the French doors from his daughter's balcony open. So yes, he had seen Troy Bolton sneak out of his house at 10:47 that morning. He dropped the curtain and took a sip from his mug, trying to remain calm.

Did Gabriella think he was stupid?

Was he distracted? Yes. Understanding? Sure. But Gregory Álvaro Montez wasn't stupid. The pure thought of his daughter sneaking her boyfriend into her room at an indecent hour made his skin crawl with disgust. Who knew what kind of things they were doing under his roof while he was sleeping in the room across the hall. He clenched his teeth, marching towards the kitchen and slamming his mug down on the counter. Tom, who was eating a couple of toasts with strawberry jam and butter, jumped startled.

"What the fuck?"

No. Gregory shook his head, ignoring his son's exaltation and trying to get rid of the accusing thoughts. No, he knew Gabriella, she wouldn't do that. And he also knew that Troy wasn't a bad guy. He was a good guy! He was polite and he had always respected his house rules and Gabriella's curfew. Or at least until now.

Yes, he was a good guy… but he still had a penis.

Tom looked up at his dad with a worried look, noticing how he was working his jaw in circles. "Hey, dad? Are you alright?"

"Yes, why?"

Tom's eyes immediately searched for his hands. He frowned when he found them shaking. "Your hands are shaking," he told him. "Did you take your pill?"

As in cue, Gabriella walked in, a tired smile adorning her face. Tom and Greg turned to look at her and Gregory's hands began shaking harder. His eyes narrowed.

"Good morning, guys," she greeted them, not noticing her father's obvious anger and Tom's worried look. It was an understatement to say that he was more preoccupied about his father than the fact that his sister's boyfriend had showed up last night.

Gregory continued to shake and he grabbed onto the edge of the counter. "Did you and Troy have a good night?" he asked, going straight to the point as Gabriella opened the fridge. The brunette's hand froze as she was about to grab the orange juice and Tom raised his eyebrows, blinking twice.

"Oh boy," the 27 year old murmured.

Gabriella felt her stomach do a flip-flop. She turned around to her father, but didn't say anything. How did he know? Her eyes quickly traveled to Tom, but he shook his head, saying that he didn't tell him anything.

"Don't look at your brother, look at me!" Greg commanded and Gabriella snapped her eyes back to him. She couldn't help but gulp. Crap. Big, gigantic crap. She felt chills run down her spine as her eyes bored into her father's, her hands getting clammy.

"What…a-are you talking about?" she tried playing dumb.

"Do not try to act like I'm stupid Gabriella," he hissed. "His car is not hard to miss. And you two weren't being exactly quiet! What was he doing here?"

Gabriella didn't say anything. Her heart began hammering against her ribs and she began closing and opening her fists. For the first time, she noticed Gregory's hands shaking as he gripped the counter tightly; he was going to snap his wrists if he continued applying that much pressure.

"Dad-," Tom tried to interfere, noticing that he started shaking harder.

"He wasn't just disrespecting my house; he was disrespecting me and your brother and you!" he scolded. Gabriella felt herself go small, but at that moment she was a little more concerned about his shaking hands. He wasn't acting like himself. She bit her lip and she looked at Tom again. His look said it all. They both knew that something was wrong.

"LOOK AT ME, WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Greg yelled and Gabriella and Tom jumped startled. Gabriella looked at her dad and she saw his eyes darken. By now, he had let go of the counter and his arms and shoulders were shaking.

"Dad," Tom spoke carefully, standing up from the stool, his breakfast long forgotten. "Calm down."

"DO NOT TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" he yelled. "THAT FUCKER CAN'T SIMPLY COME INTO MY HOUSE AT ANY TIME HE WANTS! THERE ARE RULES!"

Gabriella gulped, the fear beginning to invade her system. She ignored the urge to defend Troy, knowing that her father wasn't being…himself. The more her father stressed, the more his body was unstable. He needed to relax. Tom took another step forward and he took his father by the arms. Gabriella got ready to sprint upstairs, in case she needed to get his shot for a catatonic stupor episode.

"Dad, try to calm down," he pleaded softly, a determined look on his face. Tom was a little taller than his dad.

The air went in and out rapidly through his nostrils as he looked at his older son. He pushed him back, and grabbed onto the counter again, finally realizing what was going on. "Get out," his voice broke, but before any of them could move, Gregory's eyes rolled back and he collapsed on the floor afterwards.

"DADDY!" Gabriella screech was heard in the neighborhood as she saw her dad begin to convulse on their kitchen floor.

* * *

><p>It was almost 1:00 PM and Annie watched through the kitchen window as Troy paced back and forth in the basketball court. She shook her head, washing the breakfast dishes slowly as she saw him check his cell phone for the millionth time; she had never seen him this anxious before.<p>

During the stupid breakfast, she had noticed how he never removed his cell phone from his lap and kept glancing at it every 2 minutes. Unlike what she had predicted, Troy was paying more attention to his phone than to the stupid comments his father was making –and he wasn't exactly being sweet as a candy.

With a big cocky smirk on his face, which she could also call blatant, he asked. "Why the long face, son? Is everything alright?"

Troy looked up from his phone and couldn't hide the glare, to which Jack had to bite the inside of his cheek to prevent him from smirking bigger. He looked back down to his phone, almost disappointed and looked back up at his father. He also noticed Lydia and the little girl, Terry, looking at him too. Troy took a small glance at them, pausing a second longer on the blonde 9 year old with thick oval glasses before taking a deep breath and turning his gaze back to Jack.

Something. Something in her brown innocent eyes told him not to snap.

To Annie's surprise, he pushed his plate away and stood up, excusing himself silently. Lydia placed a comforting hand over Jack's as he was in the process of standing up, telling him it was okay.

"He must be upset, honey," she told him in a sweet voice, which made Annie roll her eyes as she spied them through the wooden curtain over the bar that divided the kitchen and the dining room. "Maybe he had a fight with his girlfriend. We both know he's not very talkative."

Annie shook her head again, wiping her hands with her dishcloth before wiping the edge of the sink. Ugh, her feet and back were killing her. She tucked her dishcloth into her apron and placed her hands on her back before making her way to the backyard. Jack had left to give Lydia and Terry a ride back to their house. Apparently their car was in the shop or something, not that Annie had actually paid attention to what had happened. So, there weren't any chances of him hearing her calling his son by his first name; not that it would matter anyway. Either way she was going to get yelled at. But, she couldn't exactly blame Troy anymore; the boy had made an effort.

Troy sighed, frowning down at his phone. He knew the idea was childish, but, after all, he had expected her to text him like she had promise –she was stubborn like that, so it worried him that she hadn't done it. He sent her a couple of texts himself, expecting some kind of reply from her saying that she forgot for a moment; it wouldn't surprise him, the girl couldn't be more distracted.

But, no. There was no answer from her whatsoever. He felt his stomach churn. What if something happened to her?

No, nothing could have happened to her, he left her safe at home. Sure, she was clumsy, but not at the level of falling down the stairs or slipping in the bathroom and cracking her head open against the sink.

…Okay maybe she was, but he was almost sure that that wasn't it.

His frown grew deeper.

What if…?

_No_, he shook his head, stopping his train of thoughts before they would go any further. No, she wouldn't. He knew it. He knew _her_…

He chewed on his tongue.

Or did he?

"No," he mumbled to himself, shaking his head again. She couldn't have backed down. She couldn't have regretted her words. She couldn't have… run away. He trusted her, didn't he?

"What is your problem, now?" his head snapped up at Annie's voice. He watched her wobble over to him, her big pregnant belly lifting her flowered shirt beautifully; she didn't fit in her working clothes anymore. "And don't tell me 'nothing' because I know you better than that."

Troy fought the urge to roll his eyes; he knew that that would only piss her off and he would probably end up with a black eye. Instead he sighed and shook his head, shoving his phone into the right pocket of his jeans. Annie looked him up and down, studying his stance, before retrieving her eyes back to his blue ones; she knew that look. She crossed her arms over her chest, right above her belly.

"I thought you guys worked it out?" she arched an eyebrow at him and Troy shrugged his shoulders, looking at Annie's shoes –or more like slippers.

"We did," he murmured. "Or at least I thought we did."

Annie frowned."How do you mean?"

Troy sighed. "I told her," he mumbled.

Annie didn't say anything. She blinked twice, digesting his words. He actually told her? She took a step closer to him. "I'm sorry, you what?"

"I told her," he mumbled again.

"And…?"

"She listened," he sighed. "She hugged me, she lectured me," he paused. "Said she wouldn't leave me like I thought…" he slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Honey, that's great," she told him, but continued frowning when his face didn't light up like she had expected. "So… what's the problem?"

Troy sighed. "She's not answering my texts," he said, pulling his phone out of his jeans again. "Or my calls, for that matter… and she's usually the one to text me first," he told her, avoiding the whole deal they had made that morning.

Annie tried to bit back a smirk, but failed miserably. "Troy, don't you think you're being a bit… paranoid? Or needy for that matter?" she asked him with a small chuckle. Troy narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't give me that look," she rolled her eyes. "Maybe she went out and forgot her cell phone or something…"

"Yes, but what if she didn't?"

Annie gave him a look. "Troy…"

The teen sighed and glanced down at his black sneakers. Annie's eyes softened and she took a step closer. She placed a motherly hand on his cheek and made him look into her eyes. "You trusted her enough to tell her about your mom, didn't you?" she reminded him. Troy said nothing. "Then trust her that she will keep her promise."

Troy let out a shaky breath. "Annie… I just…," he licked his lips. "Why? Why after I opened up to her and told her my biggest secret… she suddenly disappears?" he asked her. "At the moment I believed her, I trusted her… but… what if… what if it was just an act?"

"Troy, Gabriella wouldn't do that," Annie tried to assure him, the insecurity and vulnerability in his voice breaking her heart a little; she had never seen him so scared before, not even when he was uncertain about telling her.

"What if she thought it through? What if she regretted? What if she analyzed my story better and decided that my mother's death was actually my fault?" he ranted, not noticing that he was saying things to Annie that he hadn't told her before. His breathing quickened.

"Troy-."

"What if she just said everything she said just to not make me feel bad? What if I was a fool to believe that she was mine to keep?"

"Troy-."

"And I believed her! I opened up to her! I-I just went and told her about the car and my father… and..."

"Troy!" she exclaimed, grasping his wrists, finally getting him to stop his unusual and sudden ramble.

"What!" he yelled.

"Would you listen to yourself?" he exclaimed. "That is Gabriella you're talking about! Gabby, remember? Your girlfriend? The one who you almost kissed in the front lawn?" Troy stared at her. "Troy, that girl looks at you like she's willing to take a bullet for you. Do you honestly think she would do that? You know her Troy."

Her grip on his strong wrists loosened as she saw him begin to relax. Troy lowered his head and closed his tired eyes. He knew she was right. He didn't know where the panic attack came from, but he had to guess that it was understandable considering that he just spilled his heart out to her the night before. God, he hated how much effect that girl had on him. It almost seemed impossible that in the same way that she could calm him down, she could also have him worked up.

"You're right," the teen mumbled. "I'm sorry Annie."

The cook smiled. She couldn't believe how much of an expert she had become when it came to Troy's behavior. "It's fine," she waved him off. "Now, I want you to calm down and wait for her to return your call and answer all your needy texts," Troy gave her a menacing look. "And I also want you to quit giving me that look and give me a hug… and perhaps rub my feet," she told him jokingly.

Troy rolled his eyes and sighed, wrapping his arms around his silly cook. Annie smiled contently as silence enveloped them. A couple of seconds later, Annie's eyes shot open as she heard a 'clack' and suddenly felt liquid starting to run down her jean-clad legs. Troy frowned, having also heard the 'clack', and he felt his sneakers getting wet. They both pulled back and looked down.

"Agh! Annie! That's disgusting! Couldn't you have said that you needed to go to the bathroom?" he exclaimed.

The cook shot daggers at him with her eyes and shook her head. "Troy, sweetie…" she said with fake patience. "It's not pee. My water just broke."

Troy's eyes widened."WHAT?"

"No, no! No freaking out, I need you to get my spare sweats from my bag, call Luke and take me to the Hospital," she told him, grabbing his arm. Troy blinked at her. "Move!"

"Right!" he exclaimed, placing his free hand over her back and leading her back to the house.

Dressed in pink sweats, Annie began making her breathing exercises in the car as the first two contractions hit her. She looked awfully calm in Troy's opinion, but of course, she had gone through this two times already. He watched by the corner of his eyes how she lifted her brown hair in a messy bun as he dialed Lucas's cell phone one more time. Again, no luck. With Lucas being a Doctor at the local Hospital, Annie's bags were already there and she already had a room booked for herself only, so all they needed to do was to show up and register. Annie hadn't wanted to know if they were having a boy or a girl, so it'd be a surprise for her; Luke, on the other hand, being a doctor and knowing how to tell, knew what they were having. Annie made him promise not tell her, of course.

"Eep!" Annie suddenly squeaked as the third contraction hit her, making Troy swerve the car in surprise.

"What!" he exclaimed.

Annie bit her lower lip and took a deep breath. "Another contraction," she breathed out as the pain ceased. "He's still not answering?"

Troy shook his head. "Don't worry, we're almost there, we'll just have him paged."

The cook nodded.

"Two weeks premature," Annie sighed as Troy parked in the Hospital's parking lot and helped her out of the car. "Always hurrying, just like their father."

Troy smiled as he grabbed her purse and led her to the Hospital's front door. When they reached the front desk, the old lady behind it immediately recognized Annie.

"Ah, Mrs. Sanders!" she exclaimed with a smile. "Here to visit Dr. Sanders?"

The cook smiled. "No," she told her. "My son or daughter decided that it'd be fun to break my water today."

The old lady's eyes widened in surprise as a male nurse quickly rolled over a wheelchair. "Oh! A bit soon, don't you think?"

"You tell my child that," she told her jokingly as Troy helped her sit down on the chair.

The woman chuckled and pulled out a clipboard with some papers, handing them over to Troy. "Well, here are the forms your mom needs to fill out," she told him, not noticing how his eyes shot up in surprise or how he turned to look at Annie, who also looked at him in shock.

"No, no," Annie was quick to correct her, fearing for Troy's reaction at her assumption. "He's not my son," she smiled at the old lady, who blinked at them. "He's uhm… my boss's son."

"Oh, my apologies," the old lady said. "My glasses must be failing me, you two look alike to me."

Troy rolled his eyes, silently taking the forms from her. "Thank you," Troy told her. "Do you mind if I bring them later? I don't know half of these things, so I need to ask her."

"Sure, sweetie."

* * *

><p>It's been two hours. Two hours of Gabriella pacing back and forth in the E.R's waiting room as her brother and her continued not to know anything about their father. After applying the muscle relaxer to her father for his catatonic stupor episode, Gabriella had run next door to look for her best friend and his mother like the last time. Dr. Danforth quickly called an ambulance and 10 minutes later they were in the Hospital and her father was being wheeled into the E.R, Chad's mother right at his side.<p>

Chad sighed as he watched his best friend starting to make a hole on the floor. He shook his head and stood up, walking up to her. Gabriella gasped as she bumped into his chest.

"What! What!" she squeaked. Chad grimaced and placed his hands over her shoulders.

"Gabs, you need to calm down," he told her, frowning at how tense her shoulders felt. He looked over her head to see Tom sitting with his hands clinging to his hair; no, he wasn't doing any better than his sister. "Your dad's gonna be alright, trust me, okay?"

"I cannot calm down until I see him awake and conscious, Chad!" Gabriella exclaimed. "This is my entire fault to begin with! If I hadn't let Troy stay over without him knowing, then he wouldn't have stressed over, he wouldn't have forgotten to take his pill and we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Chad gave her a sympathetic look and opened his mouth to answer. "Blaming yourself over this won't help dad, Gabby," Tom beat him to it and they both turned to look at the 27 year old guy. They watched him stand up and make his way over to them. "And it wasn't your fault. Like I said, you're a teenager and you're supposed to this kind of stuff; it's not your fault that dad forgot to take his pill and got all worked up over something as stupid as Troy staying over. If you wanna look at it like that, I was the one who let him last night…"

"Yes, but I could have sent him home!"

"But you didn't," Tom looked at her sternly. "And I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea either, but dad's much more comprehensive than me, and he would have probably sat you down and talked to you about it like he always does, not pull a tantrum like the one he just did. He simply forgot to take his pill, it was an accident."

The brunette looked down at her slippers; both siblings were still in their pajamas. "I still can't help but feel that it's my fault," she mumbled before looking back up at her brother. "Tom, what if this episode lasts longer? What if it doesn't last a couple of hours like it usually does? What if he stays in this state for months?"

"He won't," Tom assured her. "He's going to be alright, okay? He's a Montez, he's strong!" he told her, grapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in for a hug. "He's going to be okay. We're going to be okay."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean he's in surgery?" Annie hissed at her nurse as she dressed her into her hospital gown. "How long is it going to take? Can't he just close up and come over?"<p>

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Sanders, but he'll be in for at least another 7 hours. He barely scrubbed in," the nurse said. "But he's been informed and he'll be here as soon as he gets out. Don't worry, how I see how your contractions are going, I'm positive he'll make it before your baby's born."

The cook narrowed her eyes at the nurse as she helped her into her bed. What did she know? She was a nurse! "Yes, but who's hand am I going to squeeze during my excruciating contractions?" she asked with a sarcastic eyebrow arched.

As in cue, both turned to the door as they heard Troy walking in. "The forms are in the front desk, and I asked a nurse about your bags," the teen said, pointing behind him with his thumb. "She said that she'll send them in, in five minutes. Do you need anything else?" he asked and then watched how his cook exchanged a look with the nurse before turning her honey colored eyes back at him. "What?"

The cook smiled sweetly at him, and for the first time, Troy felt kind of scared of it. He passed saliva down his throat and rubbed the side of his neck.

"God damnit, Annette!" Troy cried four hours later as he felt Annie suddenly burying her fingernails into his forearm. Her contractions were getting more frequent and harder, and Annie was beginning to get worried that her husband wouldn't make it on time for the birth. She squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered. Troy hissed in pain as she finally released his arms, leaving red nail marks behind. If it was up to him, his cook would never have sex in her life again!

"How much longer?" the teen complained, rubbing his arm. He was sitting in a chair next to her bed, waiting for her doctor to come in and check her again. The last time she was almost 8 centimeters dilated. Troy had turned away and blushed as the doctor did…his job. Annie thought it was cute.

The 34 year old woman took a deep breath, recovering from the pain. She posed her tired and angry eyes on him. "I don't know," she said between clenched teeth. "But you better stop complaining or else you'll be having banana pancakes for breakfast for the next 5 months!"

Troy narrowed his also tired eyes at her and shook his head. "Well I'm sorry, but I'm almost sure that this will not only leave a fucking mark! It'll get fucking infected!" he growled, signaling his wounded arm with an open hand. "I don't exactly find this fun!"

Annie gave him a pointed look. "Oh! And do you think I do?!" she yelled at him, sarcastically. "Try having a baby, Mr. Fucking Smarty Pants! Let's see if you can handle that! I'd much rather have my arms scratched, sliced open with a knife and have salt and lemon poured in the wounds than be in this situation right no-OW!" she complained and gripped onto Troy's arm again as yet again another painful contraction hit her. Troy winced again; at least she didn't use her nails this time.

The brunette let out a breath and slammed back against the mattress. Troy sighed as she released his arm once again. How, the hell, did he end up in this situation? He wondered. It wasn't even his fucking job! It was her husband's! He was supposed to be home, waiting for Gabriella to answer his texts –which she still hadn't. He bit the inside of his cheek as his eyes posed on Annie's tired face. But he couldn't worry about that now; he'll have plenty of time after Annie's stupid baby was born.

"Why won't you take the drugs?" he grumbled, rubbing his forehead.

"Oh, I will," Annie told him with closed eyes. "As soon as that doctor comes in through that door!" she exclaimed. "He told me that I was dilating fast, so I thought I'd just take the epidural; boy I was wrong."

"You think?" he asked sarcastically.

"Not helping, Troy Alexander!" she growled.

Twenty minutes later Dr. Montgomery walked back in and checked on Annie one more time, Troy turning away and scratching his forehead uncomfortably; he never thought he'd seen Annie… in this…particular way. And boy he'll never look at her the same way.

"Okay, looks like the dilating went faster than I expected," the doctor smiled."It'd seem like this baby's in a hurry to get out and see his or her mommy!" he joked.

"Oh, Thank God," Troy sighed relieved and Annie turned to glare at him for the hundredth time.

"That's it! I hope you've enjoyed today's breakfast because you won't get anything else but banana pancakes for a year!" she growled at him and Troy rolled his eyes. Now she added another 7 months. Couldn't they just suck the baby out of her with a vacuum or something?

Dr. Montgomery smiled. "Don't worry young man, we'll just get an epidural for your mom and you'll get to see your baby brother or sister very soon," he said. "It'll soon be over."

Troy sighed and fought the urge to roll his eyes. It was the fifth time someone called Annie his mother. "Thanks doctor, but she's not my mother," he corrected him, feeling like Annie was a little too tired to do it herself.

"Oh," the doctor blinked. Figured. He had delivered both of Annie's children –and now the third one–and he had never seen the young teen before. He just figured that maybe she had him too young.

"She acts like it though," Troy grumbled. "Ow!" he then complained when Annie pinched his arm. "What's your problem, Annette?"

"I'm in labor! That's my problem!" she spit at him. "And maybe I wouldn't have to act like your mother if you didn't act like such a spoiled little rich kid!"

He narrowed his eyes at her. He was way too tired for this. "Funny," he said sarcastically.

The doctor, who was watching them with a funny look on his face, trying to figure out what was the relationship between the two of them, cleared his throat to get their attention. "Okay, let's get this over with, shall we?"

Annie sighed and nodded, feeling slightly sad that her husband was going to miss the birth of their third child. But well, he was a surgeon and he was saving a life; it's not like he wanted to miss it. In fact, she knew that he was dying to be in that room with her.

Dr. Montgomery helped her sit up so he could apply the epidural to her spine. Meanwhile Troy pushed his chair away. The nurses helped her get back on the bed while the doctor scrubbed and helped her roll the gown up, Troy trying not to look at Annie's… exposed area. Yes, he would never look at her the same way. He mumbled something under his breath that sounded something close to 'How did I get myself into this?', as the two nurses helped her get her knees up. Annie ignored him.

"Here we go again," the cook sighed and quickly searched for Troy's hand. Even though he was being an insolent immature little child, he was still there to help her; he could have easily walked away, but she knew –and he knew– that he wouldn't do that.

"Okay Annie, now, in the next contraction I want you to push as hard as you can, okay?" the doctor instructed, having sat in front of the brunette. The cook nodded and Troy squeezed his eyes shut as Annie began squeezing his hand as she gave the first push.

Half way through, Annie's forehead was covered with a thick layer of sweat and her cheeks had taken a crimson color. Troy's hand was turning purple, but by then, his grumpiness had been pushed aside; taking one single look at Annie's face, he knew that she needed him to do her husband's job, and that meant that he had to do the cheesy encouraging yells and give her the support she needed to push –which explained the almost purple hand.

Since it was Annie's third child, the birth was faster than normal. "One more push, Annie," Dr. Montgomery said, glancing at her from between her open legs; a sight Annie always found disturbing and creepy. "One more push and your baby will be out."

"You've got this, Annie, come on," Troy told her reassuringly, squeezing her hand back.

Annie nodded and, as the next contraction came around, she pushed with all her might. "That's it! That's it," the doctor chanted and seconds later crying filled the hospital room. Annie let out a puff of air and smiled as she heard her baby cry for the first time.

Troy looked at the small bundle of bloody and pink flesh squirming in the doctor's hands with absolutely no idea what to feel. It was the most disgusting and disturbing, yet amazing and beautiful sight he had ever seen. It was… overwhelming.

"We've got a girl," the doctor announced and Troy turned to look at Annie in time to see her face light up. The nurses took the premature child to get cleaned and checked.

"A girl," she cooed.

"Oh, Mike's going to be delighted," Troy said sarcastically, a hint of humor lingering in the tone of his voice. Annie giggled and nodded, finally releasing Troy's hand.

"Would you like to cut the cord?" one of the nurses asked him, getting their attention.

Troy turned to look at Annie for permission. "May I?"

Annie beamed at him and nodded. "Of course."

Troy smiled at her and walked up to the nurse, who handed him a couple of scissors. He walked over to the table and looked at the now clean baby girl. The nurse told him where to cut and he squeezed the scissors over the white cord. Squishy. He never thought he would be ever doing that, unless it was with his own kids. And damn he thought that if he ever had kids, it would be because of a bad condom. He turned to look at his cook and he grinned at her, feeling extremely honored. A feeling that was very strange to him.

Annie grinned back at him and then diverted her gaze when one of the nurses walked over to her, placing the baby into her awaiting arms. Her grin went bigger, and for a moment, Troy wondered if his mother had looked at him like that too.

"Hi, sweetie," she cooed and the baby's eyes immediately opened, looking for the origin of the familiar sound. Troy's smile softened and he crossed his arms. For a moment he felt jealous of that baby. He watched as Annie caressed her face with her index finger, making the baby let out tiny whimpers. He was being witness of one of the strongest bonds there are on this earth. The bond between a mother and her child.

"Round face, round face," Annie chanted as she continued tracing her baby's face with her finger before looking up, searching for the teenage boy. When she spotted him, her eyes shone. "Would you like to hold her?" she asked.

He nodded.

Troy walked over to them and Annie carefully placed her child into his arms. It was the first time that Troy had ever held a baby. He was too young to hold any of Annie's children before, plus he was never really enthusiastic about it; but somehow he felt different about this baby, perhaps because he saw her born.

The baby girl looked up at Troy and studied him with her still grey eyes; they would take color afterwards. Troy studied her back. "You're pretty," he blurted at her in a murmur, no idea where the comment came out from. The baby's eyes shone as she also recognized his voice. She began squirming around in her pink blanket, making Troy chuckle at her.

"What? What's up bug face?" he mumbled at her with an amused sparkle in his eyes.

Annie watched them with a big grin on her face. She had never seen Troy so tender with someone before, not even with Gabriella; though, she was sure that the only reason why she was being witness of this new side of Troy was exactly because of her. The cook thought about what Troy told her in the backyard as he continued murmuring to her daughter.

So far, she knew that Troy had blamed himself for his mother's death and the accident happened with a car. Killed in a car crash. Hit by a car. Those were her guesses. She thought about his hatred towards his father and immediately traveled to the night were she heard Troy's discussion with his father.

"_You ruined my life Troy!"_ he had yelled at the teen. _"You don't deserve any kind of relationship!" _

Annie bit her lip. Had his father blamed him for his mother's death? Was that the reason why he had once called himself a murderer in front of her? Had he believed him? She felt her heart break.

The cook sighed. She thought of everything that had happened in the past 10 years. Jack's eyes darkening every time his son's name was mentioned; the ridiculous rule of not calling Troy by his first name because he didn't want him 'mingling' with the help; the night Jack told him that he didn't deserve happiness or any kind of relationship; Troy's impassive eyes every time his mother was mentioned; Troy unconsciously telling her that he was a murderer; his fear of letting Gabriella in; the continuous pushing away…

Everything was Jack's doing. Everything was Jack making Troy believe that it was his fault that his mother had died. And it was thanks to Gabriella that she now knew the truth. She knew Jack wasn't exactly a good man, but it was until that moment that she finally realized what a filthy little cockroach he was. She had to get Troy out of that house whatever the cost; she couldn't let him live in that place anymore. She had waited 10 years to know what was exactly going on in that house; she had always suspected, of course, but Troy wouldn't tell her anything and the maids knew nothing. She never knew how to make him open up to her, not until Gabriella showed up.

_Thank God for that girl_, Annie thought with a sigh. She was the help that she had been waiting for. She's an angel.

* * *

><p>"Chad, I need you to take Gabriella home to change," Tom told his sister's best friend.<p>

It was nearly 7 PM. Gregory Montez had been stabilized and now they were waiting for him to get a room. Neither Tom nor Gabriella knew much of his condition, they didn't know if he was awake or unconscious. All they knew is that he was stable, had finally slipped out of the catatonic stupor state and his muscles had finally relaxed. Apparently they had to give him another dose of muscle relaxer besides the one that Gabriella gave him at home. They wouldn't allow them to see him just yet, and Dr. Danforth hadn't left his side since he came in, so she couldn't exactly do anything about it.

"I'm going to stay back and wait for more news and to fill out forms," he continued. "Get her to change, to take a shower and maybe eat something okay? We've been here all day; I don't want her to starve."

Chad nodded. "Do you want me to bring you some fresh clothes?"

"Could you?"

"Of course," the dark skinned boy answered.

"Thanks," Tom patted him on the shoulder. "And… thank you… for helping us and all; Gabriella's very lucky to have you."

"Thanks, that means a lot," Chad said. Tom nodded and walked back to the desk, seeing if he could find out something else.

The afro haired guy sighed and turned to look at his sleeping friend on the blue couch. He walked over to her and sat next to her. Boy this was going to be hard; he knew how stubborn she could be.

"Gabby…" he whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder and shaking her lightly. "Gabby, wake up."

"Mm," the brunette mumbled and frowned before fluttering her eyes open. She blinked a couple of times before looking up at her best friend. "What? What is it? Is it my dad?"

"No, no," Chad shook his head, calming her down. "They still haven't told us anything else."

"Then why did you wake me up?" she growled at him, closing her eyes again.

The boy sighed. "Tom asked me to take you home and-."

"No," she cut him off, firmly. "I'm not leaving."

"Gabby-,"

"I said no!"

Chad grimaced. "Gabby, it's just so you can change your clothes, take a shower and eat something, we'll be back right after," he said. "Come on, we've been here all day; you didn't want to go down to the cafeteria with me, you have to eat something or else you'll pass out! Your brother told me you didn't have anything for breakfast! Plus you can't be in your pajamas all day."

The brunette sighed and sat up. "I want to be here when he wakes up."

"Gabs, how I see it, it's still going to take a while before he's translated to his room," he tried to reason with her. "We'll be quick. Just shower up, throw some sweatpants on and if you want to, we can drive back here and eat something in the cafeteria. We'll be done before you know it and you'll get to see your dad, okay?"

Gabriella hesitated for a second, doing a quick estimate of the time. Around 20 minutes to get to her house, five minutes to shower, another five to change... Yeah, they'd be back in an hour or so. She nodded and Chad smiled at her.

He helped her up and gather up her things –which only consisted of her sweater and her house keys; she didn't have time to take anything else, not even her phone. They said their good-byes to Tom and then proceeded to make their way through the hospital towards the parking-lot. Chad had followed the ambulance in his car so his mom and him could go back home when they were done. Unfortunately Tom wasn't as smart and he hadn't brought his car.

Chad passed his arm around Gabriella's shoulders and gave her a light comforting squeeze, making the brunette look up at him. She gave him a tired and thankful smile. Just as they were passing the elevators, a familiar voice made them stop.

"Gabriella?"

The brunette turned around and felt her extremely tired eyes go wide. "Troy…"

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

***Comes out wearing a medieval armor* Heeeyyy guyyyysss…. How's it going? Please don't kill me! **

**I know! It's been months and I knew you were desperate to know what would happen in this chapter! But there 10, 313 words! A long chapter! **

**I was going to do it longer, but… yes, that would've been 20, 000 words long! And that would've been an exaggeration because I still have a lot of things planned! Muahaha! **

**Anyway! I'm so, so, so, so, SO sorry for the wait!**

**You won't guess what has happened to me in these past few months!**

**First: the stupid course! Which was a fucking torture! (But you already knew about that…)**

**Second: there was this dude I met in the course who got an obsession over me and it freaked me out. Sure, at first it was lovely and cute and all and I were kind of crushing on him too, but then it got like…. Whoa… dude, back off. Like seriously! I went to the bathroom and when I came out he was there all like "HEY YOU DONE?!" (well not really, but close!) Anyway, I literally had to run from him! It was so creepy! He was this close to tell me he loved me and I don't even know his last-fucking-name! I had to turn him down twice and after that I wasn't really in the mood to get all… romantic with the first scene. All I could think about was "Ew, no, don't touch! Ew!" I simply couldn't get into the romantic mood… and hell Troy and Gabriella aren't even corny or romantic! So imagine how… traumatized I was! Oh and recently I had to turn him down a third time! He just doesn't understand the fucking word 'no'! "I've grown up and I want to show you I've changed and I could be the one!" DUDE! THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT MY FAVORITE COLOR IS!**

… ***clears throat* Anyway… **

**Third: I was also very stressed over my test's result and I couldn't exactly concentrate on anything. But guess what? I'M IN! I'm going to college, bitches! So yes, I'm thrilled about that! I got into the best Veterinary school there is in Latin-America! So be proud of me! ¬¬ haha jk. **

**Fourth: After I got my results… my good ole friend Writer's Block didn't allow me to write. So I read a lot of fanfics (which didn't help) and then read The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks… and damn THEY CHANGED EVERYTHING IN THE DAMN MOVIE! LOL! Logan has long hair! And somehow I managed to picture Zac with long hair! xD It was so damn cool (and odd) because I was reading his dialogs with his voice! Anyway, that book got me going! **

**And last but not least: I… got an eye surgery. So I was in excruciating pain for 4 days and nearly wanted to kill myself. The surgery didn't hurt, but damn the laser did make noise! Plus then there was this burnt hair smell and I was like "ZOMFG THEY'RE BURNING MY EYE!" Anyway I didn't do it for esthetics or anything! (I actually miss my glasses) I did it more because my career requires it, I'm going to be working with cows and horses and sheep… it's more comfortable. Trust me I wasn't even thinking about doing it, but, I got the offer from someone very close to me, so I took it! :3**

**Anyway, those are my excuses! Hope you've enjoyed this chapter! And I hope to be updating the next one by Friday or Saturday! :)**

**Please don't forget to leave a review behind! **

**And don't forget to follow me on twitter: btzzmary **

**I follow back! Just tell me to follow you back! ;) Oh and the ones who are already following me and I haven't followed back, remind me to do it! (Follow, follow, following, follow, follow, xD)**

**Love you all! **

**Xoxo, **

**Mary. **

**P.S: SORRY FOR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING MISTAKES! xD**


	24. I want you to break up with me

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter Twenty-three _

**Please Read, Enjoy and Review! **

* * *

><p>Gabriella Montez was the worst girlfriend in the world. Not only had she forgotten to text her boyfriend when he needed her at a critical time, but she had completely forgotten about his existence all together. He must have been worried sick about her and she wasn't even able to think of asking Chad for his cell phone to give him a call and tell him what was going on. She felt horrible; what if he thought that she had been avoiding him? Especially after such an important night!<p>

Troy watched her as she blinked at him with a white expression in her face, almost as if she had seen a ghost. He didn't understand why though. He diverted his eyes over to the boy who used to be his best friend when he was seven and wondered what he was doing with his girlfriend. Why had she called _him_ and not Troy? He studied Chad for a couple of seconds before the dark-skinned boy cleared his throat, starting to feel small under Troy's scrutinizing gaze.

"Uh, I, uh… I'll wait for you outside," Chad informed Gabriella, pointing behind him with his thumb. When he saw that the brunette didn't react he simply gave a curt nod to Troy before leaving the place.

When he left, Troy looked back at Gabriella, his eyes roaming over her body for a second time, looking for any sign of an injury, just in case if he had missed something. She was still wearing her dark blue pajamas, her hair was still up in a messy bun and her face was still greasy. He wondered what had happened to her –she was a mess but she looked healthy. Whatever it was, he was sure that it had something to do as to why she wasn't answering her phone. Damn, he couldn't believe he doubted her, even if it was just about two minutes.

Since Gabriella kept quiet, Troy decided to speak first. "What's going on? Are you alright?"

Troy watched as her shoulders relaxed and a little color came back to her face. The teen frowned confused; was she expecting him to be mad at her or something? His answer was soon answered when she let out a relieved sigh and stepped forward to wrap her arms around his waist. He didn't hesitate to hug her back.

"Gab…"

"How did you know where I was?" she asked.

"I didn't," Troy answered, resting his chin on top of her head. He held her tightly. "Annie's water broke so I drove her to the hospital," he told her.

"Wow, how's she doing?" she asked, pulling back from their embrace.

"She's good. She's now resting; she told me to bring her some peanuts from the vending machine. Uhm, the labor went faster than expected. Her husband was in surgery, still is actually, and I had to help her through it," he sighed. "It was a girl. She's going to have to stay for a couple of days, since she was two weeks premature. The doctors said that there was nothing wrong, but it's just to make sure everything's in order."

Gabriella gave him an odd look. "You helped her through it? As in the whole hand holding and hair pulling?" she arched an eyebrow at him.

Troy frowned. "Yeah, why?"

She shrugged. "I just can't picture you doing the whole… rooting for Annie thing and watching the baby being born without puking."

"I'll have you know that I even cut the cord," he informed her, his eyes narrowing slightly. Gabriella gave him a look. "What? I did. Why's that so hard to believe?"

"Because you're you, Troy," the brunette explained, like if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Troy didn't see it that way, though. He scoffed. "Well, that's a low concept you have of me, Cupcake," he grumbled.

Instead of giggling and making a lame joke like he had expected her to, Gabriella gave him a sad smile before lowering her gaze. Troy frowned again. He hooked a curled finger underneath her chin and made her look up at him; he felt his stomach sink to his feet as he didn't see the usual happy spark that she had in her brown eyes. His frown deepened. "What happened? Why are you here?"

Gabriella's eyes bored into his blue ones, concern shinning in them. She bit her lip and let out a shaky breath, resting her head on his chest again. Troy wrapped his arms around her.

"Cupcake…"

"It's my dad," she told him in a pained whisper, causing Troy's chest to ache. Gabriella closed her eyes as she heard the steady thump-thump of her boyfriend's heart, finding it soothing.

"What happened to your dad?" he asked. He felt her arms tighten around him and he began rubbing her back, trying to comfort her. "Gab, tell me."

The brunette didn't have to think about it very long. Troy had trusted her enough to tell her his biggest secret, a memory that caused him pain –a memory that was something close to a spine piercing his heart. Gabriella knew he wouldn't even think of making fun of her father, or her for that matter. It was her turn to share her secret; she trusted him.

Finally, she sighed and pulled back from their embrace. "Troy… my dad has Schizophrenia," she told him, going straight to the point. She looked down, for some reason not wanting to look at his reaction. She felt him freeze and she bit her lower lip. "He developed it before I was even born. It has never been a very serious case. You could hardly tell that he was schizophrenic. Sometimes he made up stories in his head and had catatonic stupor episodes, sometimes he acted weird and… aggressive, but it was never a big deal. He had it under control; he always knew what his state was. He never heard voices in his head or saw imaginary people in the room," she sighed. "But my mom left anyway. Remember when I told you that I had the courage to ask my dad about it until I was 15? And I told you she left because she couldn't stand him anymore? Well, she left saying that she couldn't be held down by a sick man and probably sick children," she continued chewing on her lip. "We got through, of course, you know that. Tom moved to L.A, I stayed in Albuquerque with dad. I-I told my supposedly best friend about it when I was in high school, I was always self-conscious about it –by the next day everyone in the school knew and… they started treating me differently, making fun of me, pushing me around," her voice cracked a bit and Troy slid his arms around her waist instinctively. He stared down at her, listening intently. Gabriella placed her hands over his chest. "Anyway, my dad's company went into bankruptcy and we took that as an excuse to move to East Albuquerque. "

The brunette paused and dared to take a little glimpse at the taller boy. She couldn't quite read the expression in his face; it was like he was trying to digest everything that she was telling him. It wasn't surprising, though. Like she said, you could hardly tell that her father had a severe mental disease. She felt his fingers caressing her back –that encouraged her to keep going with her story. She sighed. "No one wants to hire a 54 year old, schizophrenic, single dad, Troy. We couldn't ask Tom for help. We no longer have a medical insurance, so I had to find a job. It was hard convincing my dad about it, but his medicines are expensive and we could barely survive out of his savings. Light bills, water bills, groceries…" she sighed. "Anyway, I found my first job at Savannah's Flower Shop. The pay was good, but it wasn't enough to buy my dad's pills, so then I had to apply for my second job at the Coffee Shop."

"Kids, you're clogging the hall," a nurse suddenly interrupted them. "Do you mind moving your conversation to the chairs over there?" she asked politely, pointing to some blue padded chairs at the side of the hallway. Troy couldn't help but shoot her a menacing look, but he immediately quit it as Gabriella dropped her hands from his chest and held one of his.

"Sure, we're sorry," Gabriella said and the nurse nodded in gratitude. Troy shot the nurse another annoyed look over his shoulder as the brunette pulled him over to the chairs. The nurse shook her head in disbelief and rolled her eyes. After they sat down, Troy turned his body to look at her better, not letting go of her hand.

"Where was I?" she asked.

"You were explaining me the reason why you had two jobs," Troy told her, rubbing his thumb over her hand. It was funny, in a very cruel way, that the night before Gabriella was the one comforting Troy as he spilled his heart out and now they had switched places.

"Right," she sighed, looking down at their interlaced hands. "Uhm… he's… been getting worse, Troy. We think that it's because of the stress of not finding a job, plus me having to work for _his_ medicines. He's been… starting to hear voices lately. One time I heard him talking to some guy named Jason in his office at home, and I knew he wasn't on the phone. He always paces when he's on the phone, and that time I didn't hear him pacing. Four months ago, he called Tom asking him for help. He told him that he couldn't stand seeing me juggling two jobs and school and that he felt horrible because sometimes I wouldn't even make it to my room and that I would crash on the couch. Uhm, so Tom decided to help. He, uh, talked to his boss and he transferred him to Albuquerque… and… his stupid fiancée broke up with him because she didn't want to leave L.A. I got to quit one of my jobs, my dad was a little more relaxed… well, at least until this morning. He forgot to take his pill… and… then he found out that you had stayed over. He stressed over it; he started screaming at me and getting aggressive. Tom tried to calm him down; like I said… the stress…simply gets him worse for some reason, he can't control himself like he usually does. He started shaking…" she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Troy squeezed her hand. "Then his eyes rolled back into his head and he started to convulse on the kitchen floor. I screamed… and then Tom told me to get his muscle relaxer as he tried to keep him from moving. When I came back downstairs, he was already in this… inhuman position… with his eyes open, but we both knew he wasn't conscious. God," she shuddered. "It's like watching 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' every time it happens."

Troy scooted closer to her and wrapped his arms around her, bringing her head to the crook of his neck. Gabriella shrank a bit, as if she trying to fit into Troy. In that moment she wasn't the strong girl that she usually was. She couldn't be her in that moment, and, somehow, Troy knew that too. It was his turn to be her rock. It was his turn to not let her break. He didn't ask anything else, not only because he didn't know what to think, but feeling that she had shared enough.

Troy didn't know how long they stayed like that, and even though his side was starting to ache from the uncomfortable position, he didn't want to let go of her. He wondered why she hadn't told him before. She was always more open with him than he was with her. But… he understood. He understood better than any other person could –the fear of sharing something so personal with someone you care about. Like Troy's mother's death, her father's Schizophrenia was her secret; it was the one thing she was afraid to share with Troy. So yes, he understood why she hadn't told him, even when he knew that she trusted him.

"Hey, Gabby, are you guys going to take much lo-," Chad's voice made them pull apart as he turned around the corner, stopping in his tracks as he saw their position. Troy shot him a look that told him that he was being inopportune and the boy couldn't help but gulp; he had forgotten how intimidating Troy could be. It wasn't like they crossed paths too often. "Sorry," he coughed "I'll just… uhm, take your time…" he nodded, turning back around.

Troy shook his head and turned to look at Gabriella, Chad's sudden appearance reminding him that _he_ was the one there with her instead of Troy.

Suddenly, Troy didn't understand why she hadn't told him sooner, anymore. It was more than obvious that she had told _Chad_. So why not him? Why not her boyfriend? Troy retrieved his arms from around Gabriella and sat up straight, the pain in his side subsiding. Gabriella looked at him with confusion written all over her face.

"What?"

Troy didn't answer for a moment. He crossed his arms and leaned back against the backrest. Gabriella continued to look at him, confused. What had happened?

"Why did you tell Chad first and not me?" Troy finally grumbled at her, a tone in his voice that Gabriella hadn't quite heard before. Jealousy? The brunette looked at him, surprised. Was Troy Bolton jealous? "I'm the one who's supposed to be your boyfriend, Gabriella, not him. What, do you trust _him_ more than me?" he asked. Gabriella's amusement didn't last long as he turned to look at her with the navy blue color that his eyes took every time he was angry.

The brunette frowned. "What? No!"

"Then why did you tell him first?" he asked again.

Gabriella looked at him, not knowing exactly what to feel with his sudden change of mood. "Troy, I didn't really have a choice."

"Why? Because he's your oh-so-best-friend? You simply had to tell him?" he asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes. That attitude made Gabriella's stomach crumple up in anger. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Do not talk to me that way, Troy Alexander!" she growled at him.

"Do not treat me like a fool, Gabriella Anne!" he growled back.

"You're being stupid!" she raised her voice. "I'm not treating you like a fool and things aren't like what you think!"

"Oh really!" he raised his voice too, standing up from his chair and Gabriella following suit. Everyone in the hospital hallway, including sick people and doctors, began looking their way. But the couple was well known for causing scenes in school, so they didn't really care. "Then would you be so kind to enlighten me with the truth?"

Gabriella clenched her fists as she started to get that tingly feeling in her fingers every time she wanted to choke someone; her ridiculous boyfriend being the target in mind. She so didn't need another fight right now.

"You want to know the truth, you moronic asshole?" she yelled at him, making him narrow his eyes at her. "My dad was sick! I didn't know what to do! Tom was in L.A and I needed a doctor!" she punched him in the chest, causing him to take a step back and place a hand over his chest. "Well, it happened that my next door neighbor was one! Chad's mom!" she exclaimed. "So I'm sorry I went to him for help in a desperate moment! I'm sorry I didn't know what else to do! I'm sorry he had to find out before you! But I can't simply toy around when it comes to my dad's health, Troy!" she said. "Chad's mom has helped me in more than one occasion! How do you think I got my father to the hospital if we don't fucking have a medical insurance? Magic?"

Troy stayed quiet.

"Yeah! That's what I thought! I didn't tell Chad because he was my best friend! He became my best friend because I _had_ to tell him and he helped me through it! I didn't choose to tell him because I trusted him more than you! At that moment I didn't trust him or anyone, but I had to risk it! Do you know how hard it is for me to confide this to anyone? Even you? And, hell, Troy, I told you willingly! With you I had a choice! I could have simply said his sugar dropped or something! But no! I decided to tell you because I trust you!" she pushed him back, but Troy no longer looked at her with narrowing eyes. He just stared at her, feeling like the stupidest moron that had ever walked on the planet. At one moment they were being intimate and caring, and the next one Troy had accomplished to make Gabriella want to rip his head off. _Good going, Bolton_, he thought bitterly. He sighed, still looking directly into Gabriella's furious eyes.

"Don't you get it, Bolton?" the brunette continued growl at him. "It's not about who I told first. It's about who I told because I wanted to!" she pointed out. "Troy! I'm pretty sure you told Annie about your mom before you even told me! Do you see me going off about that? No! I-."

"Annie doesn't know," Troy cut her off for the first time, his intense eyes boring into hers.

"Oh, Troy, come on! I'm not stupid!" she glared at him. "Am I really supposed to believe that she doesn't know? Hell, Annie's like your family! She's known you since you were seven! How on Earth doesn't she know?"

"Because I've never told her," Troy explained, his tone of voice going back to normal. His eyes continued being navy blue. "She's always suspected, I won't deny that. She's always known something went on with my mom, but she doesn't know what. Maybe I'm supposed to trust her more than you, but I don't. And she's okay with that. Gabriella, you… you're…the first one that I've ever wanted to trust. Annie might have helped me see it, but… it was my choice to believe it. You're the only one who knows about my mom, Cupcake," he said. "Chad doesn't count, he was there," he added lamely.

Gabriella's eyes softened a little. Her shoulders were no longer square and tense and her hands weren't balled into fists anymore. Though, she continued being angry at him because he thought that she trusted Chad more than him.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I've been a complete idiot to you these past two days, but it's only because you're the best thing that has ever happened to me. I…I got jealous," he admitted, dropping his gaze to the floor, feeling embarrassed to look into her eyes. "I got jealous because I want to be the one you go to when you have a… a secret or a problem or something," he cleared his throat. "I want it to be me, not Chad. Just…like you're it to me."

That last sentence made Gabriella's heart melt and all her barriers to drop. Murmurs and aw's could be heard around them as the raging atmosphere that they had created from one second to another cooled down. For some weird reason they hadn't been interrupted –doctors at that hospital must like drama. The brunette sighed, her eyes soft and loving. She took two steps forward, closing the gap between them, and placed her hands over his shoulders, playing with a little loose string of his black t-shirt.

"You're an idiot," she told him, looking directly into his blue eyes. Troy smiled softly. "You suck at comforting people, you're grumpy, you have a bad temper, you don't know how to joke around, I want to choke you the majority of the time, sometimes to grab your head and slam it against the wall just to see if you become any less of an idiot, I hate your hair, you take too long to answer my texts, apparently you get jealous over nothing-."

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Troy arched an eyebrow at her sarcastically, cutting her off.

"You always interrupt me," she continued with a slight glare in her eyes. Troy rolled his eyes. "You always roll your eyes like you're so cool," he gave her a look. "You have a cocky attitude, you think you're smarter than me, you always show off when you know something I don't, you're a flirt, you can hold my fist in the air if I try to punch you and you smirk just to annoy me," she listed off. "But somehow, no one makes me laugh the way you do, no one makes me smile like you, no one looks at me the way you do, no one understands me better than you. You drive me crazy when you smile. I feel like I accomplish something every time I make you smile. You know exactly where to kiss me and how to kiss me, you make me feel safe every time you're with me, I love your arms, I love your eyes, I love your mouth, I love how you scold me every time I make something silly in public, I love how you _try_ to joke around," she giggled a little. "I love how you brush the hair out of my face, I love that you call me Cupcake –even when I hated it at first–, I love how you're protective of me and that, when you don't notice, you're the most tender person ever; you're sweet, you're passionate, you're polite, you have always respected me…" she paused, biting her lip and lacing her fingers behind his neck. "And the only reason why I hate that you smirk at me just to annoy me is because it makes me want to rip all your clothes off," she murmured with a blush. Troy arched an eyebrow at her; now he liked where she was going. "The reason why I hate all that stuff I said first is because…it…all… makes me fall more in love with you every day," she said, blushing harder as Troy's eyes went wide. "You wanted to know where all this was going? Well, you are it for me too, Troy. I love you…and it scares the shit out of me."

Troy blinked at her, not saying anything for a moment. His heart was beating hard and fast against his ribs, and his hands had suddenly become clammy. His stomach was all in knots and he felt his throat closing. He looked at Gabriella waiting for him to say something, probably just as nervous as he was. But he couldn't quite speak. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He mentally slapped himself, trying to think of something to do or say before Gabriella thought that he didn't love her back. He did. With all his heart.

Troy sighed, getting frustrated with himself. Before Gabriella even got the idea to pull away, he decided that it was best to wrap his arms tightly around her, making sure she didn't go anywhere as he figured out how to talk again. He looked deeply into her eyes and saw her smile before he leaned his head down to press a kiss on her lips. A kiss that expressed all his feelings towards her. Gabriella wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on the tip of her toes so she could have a better access to his lips.

Maybe the moment wasn't exactly opportune, maybe she wasn't dressed for the moment and maybe she would have rather told him in another place that wasn't the hospital and not after a fight. But for some reason, she didn't care.

After a while, Troy finally pulled back. He rested his forehead against hers and sighed, deciding to give it another shot. "I love you, too," he managed to tell her softly, clearing his throat afterwards. Gabriella's smile grew bigger. "So much," he murmured.

"We're such a twisted couple, aren't we?" the brunette sighed. "Fighting and yelling and revealing secrets and telling we love each other at horrible moments…"

Troy grinned."I'm not going to contradict you about that," he told her. "But somehow we make it work."

"Yeah," she nodded, biting her lower lip.

Troy smiled a small smile and then sighed, kissing the side of her head and bringing her closer to him. "Your dad's going to be okay, Cupcake," he murmured in her ear.

The brunette nodded again, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "I know…"

After a while, both of them decided that it would be best to pull back and go to the parking lot, where Chad was waiting for her. They said their goodbyes, but not before agreeing that they would have something to eat at the cafeteria as soon as she got back.

When Gabriella got into the car, for the first time in over 10 years, Troy directed a few words to Chad that…well, weren't exactly friendly.

"You take care of her," he told him, giving him the most serious look that Chad had ever seen on anyone.

"I will," the afro-haired guy assured him and Troy turned around, walking back into the hospital with no further word. Chad shook his head and smiled before getting into his blue Honda Accord. "It's something," he murmured to himself.

Troy walked down the hallway until he found a vending machine. He looked it over until he found a package of peanuts from an unknown brand. He took out his wallet and inserted a dollar into the machine. After retrieving the snack from the machine, he walked over to the elevators and pressed the button.

His mind was still going over all the things his girlfriend had told him. It was easier to believe that she loved him than believing that her father had Schizophrenia. He never would have guessed; the man always looked… normal. He looked like a normal father.

He couldn't believe everything that Gabriella had to go through –that she still had to go through. And yet, she always managed to have a smile on her face, she always managed to see the good in everything and everyone, even him. It made him wonder how exactly she did it. With so much crap going on in her life, how come she wasn't as depressed and grumpy as he was? He sighed. And he thought his life sucked.

Gabriella didn't deserve any of it; she deserved a healthy father and a normal life. She deserved to not work her ass off every day and have time to go out with her friends and get herself a boyfriend that wasn't as fucked up as he was. She was the best person that he had ever met in his life; she was way too good for him. But somehow she still wanted _him_.

Why did she want him? Why was she so stubborn to break down his barriers and get involved in his life? Why him? She could have anyone she wanted. She could have a normal boyfriend that didn't treat her like crap and made her angry when she needed comfort.

His stomach twisted as he got into the elevator and pressed the number 4 –she deserved a boyfriend that was more careful sneaking out of her house. He frowned and crossed his arms, leaning against the mirror of the elevator. He should have been more careful. Gabriella has been hurting lately because of him. And now, she was hurting because her father was in the Hospital because he had found out that Troy had spent the night in the same bed as his daughter.

He sighed and leaned his head against the mirror. _Why?_ He asked to himself as he stared at the bright white lights from the ceiling. Why…did he always have to screw up? If he deserved her so much as Annie said, then why couldn't he be better for her? All he wanted was for her to be okay, to be happy. So why did he keep on making her feel miserable?

The elevator's door opened and Troy stepped out, turning to his left and making his way to Annie's room. When he opened the door he found her and a black haired man kissing on the bed. He arched an eyebrow. Was that the reason why she wanted him to get her some peanuts? Well, at least they were sitting.

The teen coughed to get their attention and the couple pulled back. "Uh, I could come back," he said, pointing behind him with his thumb.

Annie gave him a look. "What took you so long?" she asked.

Troy stepped into the room and gave her the peanuts. "I had to find a vending machine that had the peanuts that you like, but none of them did, so..." Troy lied. He didn't feel like explaining her that he had bumped into his girlfriend and the reason why she was there.

"So you bought me these things," Annie scrunched up her nose, looking at the unfamiliar brand.

"Ann, they're good, trust me," Lucas spoke up before standing up from the bed. "Hi Troy, how are you?" he greeted the teen, sticking his hand out. Troy took it and gave it a polite shake. He almost never crossed paths with Lucas, but he had met the man before.

"Good," he told him. "Uh, you?"

Lucas smiled. "Good," he said, dropping his hand. "Well, I'm going to go down to see Alexandra," he smiled, turning to look at his wife. "I'll be right back."

Annie smiled back at him and nodded.

"Who's Alexandra?" Troy asked, flopping down on the couch next to Annie's bed once Lucas exited the room.

"That's how we named 'bug face'," Annie said, giving him a teasing smile as she opened the bag of peanuts. Troy blushed and cleared his throat awkwardly; maybe he had gotten too carried away.

"I see," he coughed. "And uh, how did you come up with the name?" he asked. Annie chuckled and shook her head, plopping a peanut into her mouth.

She shrugged. "I've always liked your second name," she explained. "Plus, it happened to be that Luke's grandfather's name was Alexander, so we thought it would be a good idea."

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. "You… named your daughter… after me?"

"Technically after Luke's grandfather," Annie said and then smiled. "But...you could say so. Like I said, I've always liked your second name. We were going to name Mike Alexander, but then Lucas suggested Michael and I liked it," she shrugged. "And we had decided that if we had a girl on the second try that we would name her Lilly. So, the third one got to be Alexandra, finally."

Troy blinked. "You named your kid after me?"

Annie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Don't let it get to your head, Troy, I just happen to like your name!"

"You still named your kid after me," he said.

"You know? I could still change it!"

Troy smirked. "But you like my name. Plus Luke would be kind of disappointed if you change it, wouldn't he?"

"He'll survive."

Troy chuckled and shook his head. He sighed, placing his hands behind his head. He looked up at the ceiling. "My mom was the one who named me Troy Alexander," he shared and Annie turned to look at him with surprised eyes. Since when did Troy share stories with her? Usually she had to force them out of him if she wanted to know something.

"Really?" Annie asked him, chewing on a peanut. Troy nodded. "How do you know?"

Troy sighed. "I heard Jack telling Lydia about it," he said. "I got home and, when I was going up to my room, I heard them in the living room. I think it was the first time that I actually wanted to listen to what he had to say. Mostly because it had to do with my mom. He said that he wanted me to be named after him but my mom didn't let him," he shuddered at the thought. "I'm glad she won."

"Well, it wouldn't have been such a bad idea," she said. Troy frowned at her. "You wouldn't be going all cocky on me for naming my child after you," she joked with a smirk and Troy shot daggers at her.

"Funny," he grumbled. "Don't even joke about that, Annette."

Annie smirked and dug her fingers into the tiny bag, trying to reach another salty peanut; they hadn't turned out as bad as she had expected.

Around 8, Troy checked his phone to see if he had any texts from Gabriella. He did. He checked the time to see that she had sent it about 15 minutes ago.

_See you in 20? _

_Xo, G. _

He sighed, tempted to answer, but… his mind had continued reeling with the guilty thoughts that had surfaced since he left Gabriella at the parking lot. Would it be better if he just pretended to not have read her text? It would piss her off, that's for sure, and perhaps she would start calling him stubbornly until he picked up. But he guessed that he could always turn off his phone.

But then again, standing her up in a hospital cafeteria wouldn't solve anything; it wouldn't make her feel any less miserable, if anything it would just make her feel worse.

_On my way _

_-T_

Troy quickly typed and then stood up, stretching his back and his arms.

Annie looked from the television to him with a questioning look. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'm hungry," the teen answered simply. "I haven't eaten anything since we left the house."

"Oh," the cook blinked; she had forgotten about that. What the hell? She never forgot to make sure that Troy had eaten. Damn, the labor must have shaken up her brain. "Right, you're right," she nodded. "Are you going to the cafeteria? You should, you need proper food, not just some crap from the vending machine."

Troy rolled his eyes; apparently her motherly behavior hadn't subsided yet. He sighed. "I was planning on it."

"Good," she said. "Avoid the fish," she warned him. "Trust me, the last time I visited Luke I had it and it got me gassy."

Troy scrunched up his nose and gave her a look; he so didn't need to know that. But then again, there wasn't much left unknown to him about Annie –after seeing her give birth, there wasn't really anything else that could gross him out. But, even though he hated to admit it, watching something like that… was… life changing. Watching someone being born wasn't something that he could simply classify as disgusting; there was more to it than just… blood and placenta and a… slimy, squirming thing…

Okay perhaps it was disgusting, but at that moment, for some reason, he had concentrated more on the fact that he had seen a living person come to this world. And when the baby had recognized his voice, she looked happy to be able to find something familiar in a world that was completely new and strange to her. Something that, maybe, made her happy. He liked to think that _he_ had made her happy, that perhaps he wasn't such a screw up; that maybe, just maybe, he could do something right, even if it was something small as just saying a simple greeting to a newborn.

"Got it," Troy gave her a nod. "I'll be back in a while."

The handsome blue eyed teen sighed and walked back to the elevators, his hands deep in his pockets. He pressed the button from below and got in one of the elevators when it opened. He wondered what Gabriella's thoughts were about him sneaking out and her father finding out. She hadn't exactly shared anything with him about that matter. Hadn't she wanted to make him feel guilty?

She had every right, though. Why wouldn't she mad? Why wouldn't she blame him? He was the one who had blatantly parked his flamboyant Audi A8 in front of her house. Sure, he wasn't planning on staying the night, but he could have at least gone out after and parked it down the block. How could he have been so stupid?

The elevator's door opened. He stepped out and looked for the sign that pointed to where he could find the damn cafeteria. Once he found it, he ran his fingers through his hair and turned to his right, walking down the hallway with no hurry whatsoever.

As he got closer, his heart began beating faster and his stomach began twisting unpleasantly, but it wasn't because he was urgent to see his forbidden fruit like he usually was. He was…kind of scared.

He heard her giggle and immediately looked up from his shoes. His stomach twisted again, but this time with jealousy as he saw her standing there with Chad by her side. What, now he had to endure with the guy?

Gabriella turned to her left and smiled when she saw her boyfriend. She waved and watched as he made his way over to them, his eyes slightly dangerous as he stared at Chad. She sighed; why did she feel that he wasn't exactly going to be polite with her best friend?

"What are you, her babysitter?" Troy arched an impassive eyebrow at Chad, making him blink at the blue eyed boy.

"There we go," the brunette mumbled to herself, rolling her eyes. "Hi, Gabby, how are you? How's your dad? I missed you," she stepped in front of her boyfriend, speaking up sarcastically as in telling him that he should have at least greeted her first.

Troy looked down at her. "Hi, Gabby, how are you? How's your dad? I missed you," he repeated her sentences to her and looked over her head at Chad. "What are you, her babysitter?" he asked him again, making Gabriella roll her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. Chad arched an eyebrow at them, humored.

"Her brother hired me for the day," Chad answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"Mm," Troy grunted, staring him down. Old friend or not, he was still making his girlfriend laugh. That was supposed to be his job, wasn't it? What could he say? The guy was still learning. He let out a quiet sigh; and so far he hadn't done a great job. "The pay's good?"

"Troy!" the brunette scolded him. Chad sighed; he should've guessed he'd be the jealous type. Troy looked down at her and rolled his eyes at the look she was giving him.

"Don't look at me like that," he grumbled.

"Don't act like a jerk," she countered.

"I'm not acting like a jerk."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Then what would you call that attitude you're having?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Troy crossed his arms too. "Being myself."

"Well, then you're a jerk!"

Chad coughed. "And that's my cue to go," he mumbled. "I'll… go look for a table," he announced, but neither of them turned to look at him.

Troy narrowed his eyes at her. "Then walk away if you don't like it, Cupcake."

"Wow," Chad blinked and raised his hands up before turning around and entering the cafeteria; he didn't want to get involved in what looked like it was going to be hell setting loose.

"Oh, you would just love that, wouldn't you?" she narrowed her eyes back at him, the tension between them growing stronger. What was up with them? They seemed to be picking up a fight every chance they could.

They stared intensely into each other's eyes and, for a moment, both of them had a strange feeling of déjà vu. The only thing different now was that they were actually a couple and Troy couldn't just push her away like he used to –or more like tried to. She knew him now.

Troy thought of how he had made her feel in those past two days and sighed. For the first time since he met her, he actually wanted her to walk away. It was a strange feeling to him; it wasn't like in the beginning that he wanted her far away because he was afraid to want her and then have to watch her leave. He now wanted her to walk away so he couldn't hurt her.

"Yes," he answered in a murmur, his eyes never leaving hers. Unlike those times before, his eyes didn't show anger and frustration, they showed… something close to sorrow. Gabriella was quick to notice that; she always noticed when something was off with him. He could no longer put on that triple lock to his emotions to hide them from the world; at least not with her, anyway. She sighed; she should've known something was up with him.

"What's going on in that grumpy head of yours, now?" she asked, still angry at him.

Troy said nothing. He looked away from her with an angry frown in his face. He wasn't sure if he should tell her what was bothering him, and if he continued looking at her brown eyes, he knew he would crack.

The brunette worked her jaw in circles. "Troy, we both know that's not going to work," she told him, uncrossing her arms and grabbing his face with her hand like if it was a pincer. She made him turn to look at her. "So quit the drama and just tell me."

He pulled away from her grip, a glare on his face "Don't do that," he hissed. "And I'm not being dramatic."

"Sure you're not," she said sarcastically. "You're just being a jerk, you're telling me you want me to go away and then you don't want to tell me why. Sure, that's not being dramatic."

Troy continued to shoot daggers at her. "I want you to break up with me," he said, staring deeply into her furious brown eyes and watched them widen up in shock.

"Whoa, wait, what?" she frowned at him. Did he really just say that he wanted _her_ to break up with_ him_? Now that was a new one.

The teen sighed. "I just…" he looked up at the ceiling, something he did when he was searching for his mother's support. He looked back down. "I hate hurting you," he finally mumbled, staring at Gabriella's white tennis shoes. She was now dressed in a pair of grey Wilson sweatpants and a grey GAP T-shirt.

The brunette blinked at him; she didn't know what he was talking about. "Hurting me?" she asked. "How on earth are you hurting me?"

Troy gave her a meaningful look. "Gabriella, I said horrible things to you," he explained. "I got you upset because I was a coward to tell you about my mom."

"And you apologized for it and I forgave you, remember?" she frowned at him, taking a step closer to him. She placed her hands at both sides of his face. "Troy, being in a relationship is not all sugar coated marshmallows. We're going to fight, we're going to yell at each other and say things we don't mean; just like we've been doing today," she told him, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. "We're going to have our good days and we're going to have our bad ones. And that's no reason to break up. It's normal."

"What about your dad?" he asked her, grabbing her by her wrists and pulling her hands away from his face. "Is that normal too?"

"My dad?" she asked, confused. "What does my dad have-," she stop mid sentence as she realized what he meant. So that was what triggered all of this. He had over thought the situation. "Oh, Troy, no!" she frowned, shaking her head. "It wasn't your fault."

"I should've been more careful," he said quietly. "I should've parked my car down the block or something. If I had, your dad wouldn't be in this situation and you…," he sighed. "Gabriella, I can't… I can't stand seeing you like I saw you earlier," the teen shook his head. "And then I had the nerve to… demand you why you didn't tell me before Chad when you clearly didn't need a fight at the moment and…" he trailed off with a sigh.

The brunette looked at him for a moment, thinking of something to tell him. She sighed as well. She should've known he would over think what she told him and blame himself for it. "Troy, look at me please," she pleaded with him. "Please," she repeated when he didn't.

The teen looked up at her.

"My dad forgot to take his medicine this morning," she explained, reaching for his hands and linking her fingers with his. "It was an accident. If he had taken it, he would have probably just brought you in, sat you down, then call me down and talked to us about it," she told him. "Troy, if you really want to blame someone, then blame me and Tom as well. Tom let you in last night and I practically made you stay the night," she told him. She caressed the back of his hands with her thumbs. "And to be honest with you, for a moment I also thought it was my fault," she paused. "But never yours Troy."

"How could you not?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Because I knew it wasn't," she answered simply. "And that's how I realized it wasn't mine or Tom's either," she told him. "It was just that my dad forgot take his stupid little pill."

Troy said nothing, letting her words sink in.

"Troy, he's better now," she told him. "When I got back, he was already awake, asking for me just so he could apologize," she said and Troy looked up at her, a sudden relief shinning in his eyes. "I told him that I had bumped into you and that I was having dinner with you; he said it was fine," she smiled up at him. "Why do you think I was in a better mood before you started being a jerk?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

He looked away from her again. "Because Chad is better at making you laugh than me because I don't know how to be a proper boyfriend?" he grumbled.

The brunette gave him a sympathetic smile. "Yes, you're kind of a suck-y boyfriend," she agreed.

"Thanks," he replied, sarcastically.

She let out a quiet giggle. "But I love you anyway," she told him, making him smile.

"I love you, too," he murmured and then sighed. "How is it that you always end up comforting _me_?" he asked, letting go of her hands and placing his hands over her waist.

Gabriella shrugged. "Because you need me to," she answered him, rubbing his upper arms and sliding her hands up his sleeves; she felt shivers run down her spine as she felt the lines that divided his strong shoulders from his biceps. She bit her lip and stepped on the tip of her toes to peck his lips. "I don't mind taking care of you."

"You should," he told her with a purr, enjoying her fingers running over his skin.

"But I don't," she countered, giving him a sweet smile.

"I should be the one taking care of you," he continued to purr, drawing her closer.

The brunette tilted her head to a side. "That's sexist."

Troy gave her a look. "Why?"

"The manly-macho-man-prince saving the damsel in distress?" she arched an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, no thanks."

"May I remind you that I've done it before?" he arched an eyebrow back at her. "With Austin and those guys from the Coffee Shop on the first week we met?"

Gabriella frowned. "That's different," she discussed.

Troy gave her a sarcastic chuckle. "Really? How so?"

"Number one: it was hot watching you defend me from Austin, so I let you do it; I could have easily taken him down if you hadn't showed up," she said and Troy scoffed. "And those guys… well, I had forgotten about them, so I don't have an excuse for that one," she said and then giggled at the look that Troy gave her.

"Still, it looks that the manly-macho-man-prince got to 'save' you, as you like to put it, in more than two occasions," he told her. "Oh and there was also that stupid car that almost ran you over because you didn't look before crossing."

"That's not fair, the car came out of no-where, plus I was thinking about what the hell was wrong with you, plus you know I'm distracted and clumsy!" Gabriella frowned at him, poking him on the chest with her finger. "So it doesn't really count either!"

"Still, I got to 'save' you," he smirked, shrugging his shoulders.

"I said it doesn't count, Troy Alexander!" she glared at him. "I could easily save you from being hit by a car too!"

"But you haven't."

"But I could!"

"Still, you haven't," he smirked.

"Still, I could!" she growled, getting frustrated with him. "Come on Troy, it's not the same thing taking care of someone physically than emotionally; you take care of me physically, I take care of you emotionally! So if you look at it that way, we're even."

Troy pondered over it for a moment before giving her a tiny smirk. "By taking care of you physically, you mean…?"

The brunette's eyes widened and she gaped at him, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "Not that, you pig!" she squirmed out of his grip and started for the cafeteria's door. "You're sick!" she exclaimed over her shoulder. Troy chuckled and followed her, but not before his eyes traveled down her back to her moving hips. He arched an eyebrow, his smirk growing bigger.

After they got their dinner, both avoiding the fish thanks to Annie's blunt comment, Gabriella remembered that her best friend was supposed to be there and finally spotted Chad at a table. Troy watched as he also took a note of them and waved them over. He sighed and his stomach began tightening up again; life was good until he realized Chad still existed and was supposed to be eating with them.

"Please Troy," the brunette pleaded with him, giving him a meaningful look. Troy grunted in response, but didn't promise anything.

Chad, who had a glass of milk and a half eaten sandwich in front of him, looked them over, trying to see if they had solved things. When he saw Gabriella giving Troy a kiss on the cheek, he figured out they did. He smiled as they sat down.

"You know what's funny?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood a bit and make things as less awkward as possible.

"Your face?" Troy arched an eyebrow at him.

"TROY!" Gabriella yelled and her boyfriend rolled his eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Yeah… by Friday or Saturday I really meant Monday! *****da dum tsss* hahaha…haha… ha…ha…. No? Okay, no .-. **

**Well! Still, four days is better than four months, right?**

**LOL, I bet I scared you there for a moment with the title, didn't I? xD would've loved to see your faces.**

**Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter! Jeez, Troy and Gabriella just like to get the drama going, don't they? Oh no, that's me. :) **

**Well, I decided to write this chapter a little more on Troy's side, like on the first chapters. Someone pointed out to me that it was a little unrealistic how Troy had acted on the last chapter and I had to agree. So by writing this more on Troy's point of view, I tried to like… reconnect with the character's personality. Does that make sense or do I sound like I need therapy? xD **

**Anywayyy…. no, the drama doesn't end there, if anything it'll be getting worse, but you'll see next chapter. **

**Happy Monday! And may the odds be ever in your favor! (Oh wait, that's for 'Happy Hunger Games' xD) **

**Oh btw, the guys Troy was talking about are on chapter 5 'Coffee Shop'. I thought you guys would have trouble remembering that since that was in the very beginning of the story. **

**Don't forget to leave a review behind! And sorry for Grammar and Spelling mistakes! :)**

**Xoxo,**

**Mary.**


	25. Lucky Charm

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter twenty-four _

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**! **

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><p>"How's your dad doing?" Troy asked from next to Gabriella as he handed her the chocolate ice-cream that he had just paid.<p>

It had been three weeks after Annie and Gregory went back to their houses. Three weeks that hadn't been quite easy for any of the two teens. Since Annie was staying home to take care of her newborn –with the help of her husband, of course– Troy had no option but to endure Jack and his second family all by himself; Nicole and Isabelle weren't exactly that helpful. A couple days a week, he'd go visit Annie and help her and her husband around with their kids, but the teen wasn't exactly happy being in a house with two obnoxious little kids running around and asking him stupid questions every five minutes, and a wailing baby who wouldn't shut up for anything in the world. Troy wasn't very patient with kids, but sometimes it was better than being at home, trying to tolerate Lydia and her daughter; especially when his father's girlfriend would try to bond with him by asking him personal questions.

Boy, she had no idea how pointless was her effort.

Gabriella hadn't quite been in candy shop, either.

The brunette took her ice-cream cone gratefully and gave her boyfriend a half-smile. "I don't know," she let out a quiet sigh. "He's been… acting off, recently," she explained as they began walking around the park once again.

On Tuesday of that week, the brunette had expressed her thoughts about how they hadn't exactly had any alone time that wasn't at his house or hers. Troy, thinking that what she was really asking for was a date, decided to take her to a place that was… important to him –the park that his mother used to take him to when he was younger.

The brunette had asked him why his mother took him to that park instead of the one that was in front of his house. He had responded that he always asked her to take him there because that one had a swing-set and the other one didn't.

Troy laced his fingers with hers, biting down on his ice-cream. He frowned at her. "What do you mean?"

"He just…," she shook her head, struggling to find the words. "I don't know, he just hasn't been himself. When we came home after the Hospital everything was fine, he was acting like he usually was; he ate well, he laughed, he joked around," she looked down. "Now he... he doesn't even talk to me, you know?"

"He doesn't talk to you?" Troy asked, confused.

His girlfriend shook her head. "It was from one moment to another," she said. "He barely talks to Tom, and even though we've asked him what's wrong, he says that it's nothing, gives us a weird smile and then locks himself in his office," she bit the inside of her cheek, eyeing her untouched ice-cream, thoughtfully. "I'm afraid he's hearing voices and doesn't want to tell us."

"Have you asked him about it?" the blue eyed teen asked and Gabriella shook her head.

"I guess not," she admitted softly. "But then, why wouldn't he talk to us?" she asked rhetorically. "Why doesn't he want to tell us what's wrong? I mean, we're his kids, he's supposed to tell us if something's going on, right?"

Troy bit his lips together, a sinking feeling in his stomach. He didn't like seeing Gabriella so worried. He missed her bubbly behavior. Recently, she had been… quieter; but now that he knew that her father wasn't exactly getting any better, he wasn't surprised. He let out sigh and frowned, pondering for a second. "Maybe he's… still a little… embarrassed for what happened three weeks ago," he mentioned.

Gabriella shook her head. "No, that's not it," she said. "We sorted that out. I'm almost 100 percent sure it's something else," she looked up at her boyfriend. "I know him, Troy. If he was just feeling bad about his…episode, he would've said something. It's something worse."

"Like hearing voices in his head," he repeated her suspicion.

"Exactly," she affirmed. "I don't know, Troy, I just… I have never been more worried about him before, you know? It kills me not to know what's going on in his head. How can I help him when he doesn't let me?"

"You can't," he answered honestly. Gabriella stared at him and Troy immediately wanted to punch himself as he saw the look on her face. _Maybe a little too honest,_ he thought. He took in a breath and then let it out slowly, trying to think how to fix his 'useful' reply. "What I mean is that you can't really force him to tell you, Gab," he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "All you can really do is wait and be there for him when he's ready to tell you what's going on."

The brunette sighed and looked down at their interlaced hands. She couldn't believe that they had been dating four months already. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she mumbled, finally taking a bite from her chocolate ice-cream, which was beginning to melt. "It's just hard for me to not know."

Troy couldn't help but give her a small chuckle and a sympathetic smile. "I know, Cupcake," he said. He knew that better than anyone else. Gabriella licked her ice-cream and looked up at Troy. He continued to smile at her. "Remember who you're talking to."

For some reason she blushed and gave him a tiny smile. "I guess I'm a little bit pushy, aren't I?"

"A little bit?" he joked with his monotone voice and then chuckled when his girlfriend elbowed him.

"I think I liked you better when you weren't this honest, Cinnamon Roll," Gabriella mumbled, rolling her eyes. Troy smiled at her and let go of her hand so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders. The teenage girl leaned into him as she continued eating her ice-cream.

Troy pressed a kiss to her temple. "Give it time, Gab," he murmured against her skin. "Things will fall into place."

Gabriella nodded her head. "Alright."

* * *

><p>Thomas Montez came home early from work that Wednesday. It was around 5 PM as he dropped his jacket on the armchair and sighed. Gabriella wasn't the only one who was worried about their father, he had also noticed the strange behavior that Greg had taken; it wasn't really hard to miss. Not only wasn't he talking to them like he usually did, but he hadn't been eating properly either. Around 1 AM, Tom would suddenly wake up, hearing him get up from his bed and wander around the house. The first couple of times Tom confronted him about it, Greg answered him that he only wanted a glass of water; but getting a glass of water didn't take two hours. Never.<p>

So he had decided to take the rest of the day off to check on his father. His sister had told him that she was going to go out with Troy. He couldn't exactly tell her not to go, she hadn't exactly been able to go out with her boyfriend since they came back from the hospital; she deserved that time out in his opinion. It was his turn to stay home in case their dad needed something.

"Hey, dad, I'm home!" he called out, making his way to his dad's office. There was no answer; it didn't surprise him. He pushed the door open and stepped in. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight before him.

Papers were scattered around the room, all over the floor and on the desk and on the chairs. They were full of doodles in black ink; some looked like eyes and mouths. You could barely see the floor or the chairs, or the desk for that matter. Greg sat behind his desk, staring blankly at the screen of his computer. He was as still as a statue; Tom wondered if he was breathing.

"Dad?" Tom called softly, taking a step forward. Greg didn't turn to look at him; he just continued staring at the computer. Tom took another step, and picked up a paper from the floor. He frowned. They weren't doodles –they were names in cursive letter.

_Gabriella, Maria, Gabriella, Maria, Thomas, Maria, Gabriella, Thomas, Gabriella, Gabriella, Gabriella Anne, Maria, Maria, Gabriella_, _Gabriella, Gabriella, David Thomas, Gabriella, Maria_.

Their names. But not only Tom's and Gabriella's, but their mother's as well. Tom looked up at his dad, who continued staring at the computer screen. What was he staring at? Tom's heart was beating rapidly against his ribs; he couldn't help it, he was starting to freak out. It was an understatement to say that he wasn't expecting this. How could he? Gregory had never done anything like this before.

He finished making his way to his dad and stood behind him, looking at what he was staring in the computer screen. His frown deepened. He had opened two pictures –one of Tom and Gabriella at her 17th birthday at their old house, and another one of Greg and Maria at their wedding.

"Dad…" Tom trailed off, confused as to why Greg had a picture of their mother. He thought he had gotten rid of them all after she left.

"They look alike, don't they?" Greg finally spoke up. "Gabriella and your mom. They are almost twins, right?"

Tom looked down at his father for a second before looking up at the pictures again. They did. They had the same high cheekbones, the same nose and the same smile. The hair and the eyes were Greg's, though. Maria had straight hair, while Gabriella's was curly. They had the same skin tone, as well.

Tom shook his head, not understanding what was going on. He looked down at his father. Was that why he was having trouble talking to Gabriella recently? Because he realized she looked like Maria? Tom always knew that Gabriella looked a lot like their mother, but he never thought that would be a problem for Greg.

"Dad, where did you get all this paper from?" Tom asked. "Why did… why did you write down our names on it?"

Greg finally snapped his eyes from his computer to look at his son. He frowned. "What?" he asked, confused. Before Tom could even think to answer him, Greg turned his head around and looked down at his desk. His eyes widened, surprised as they continued to travel to the floor of his office. "I…I…I did that?" he asked, shaking his head with confusion.

Tom sighed. "Well, I sure didn't," he commented. He shook his head; he needed to get a doctor, and not Chad's mom, but a psychiatrist. Greg was getting worse; maybe he needed a new medication. The one he was taking wasn't working anymore. Tom looked down at his dad and he felt his stomach sink to his feet as he saw the look on his face; he was looking around the room with disbelief and… fear in his eyes. Greg wasn't oblivious to the fact that he was losing control of himself.

"I'm getting worse," he murmured, his voice tight with emotion. Tom felt a lump starting to form in his throat, but he gulped it down and then cleared his throat. He shook his head, but didn't say anything –he couldn't exactly lie to the man.

"We'll figure this one out, Pa," Tom placed a hand on his back in comfort. "We always do."

Greg nodded at him, but for the first time, for some unknown reason, he didn't believe him. He honestly didn't think they could figure this one out. As he looked around the room, he felt like crying; he didn't even notice what he was doing anymore. Why had he done that? He remembered scribbling something on those papers, but he didn't know what he had written or how they ended up all over his office.

A moment later, Tom had managed to get him out of his office and into the living room. He gave him a glass of water and turned on some soccer game that was on ESPN. Greg had been living in Albuquerque since he was 19, but that didn't mean he was any less of a Mexican; he still enjoyed a good game of soccer, even if it was the European Cup. In fact, he liked that one better; the players did know how to make a game thrilling.

Tom, seeing that his father was beginning to relax and getting into the game, silently left the room to clean up the mess in his office; he didn't want him looking at it if he went back to get something –he would only get depressed and worried all over again. He stepped into the room and began picking up the sheets of paper. His frowned deepened with each page he picked up.

He noticed that in the papers that weren't occupied by badly drawn eyes and mouths, his name began disappearing while Gabriella's increased along with their mother's. There was a point where his name could no longer be found.

_Maria, Gabriella, Maria, Gabriella, Maria, Gabriella, Maria…_

There was one paper in particular that caught his attention and made him frown worried. He picked it up from the desk, and for some reason his stomach twisted with discomfort. Written in big bold letters, he read:

_Maria= Gabriella. _

But before the almost 28 year old man could give it any further thought, he heard the doorbell ring. He quickly finished picking up the rest of the papers from the desk and dumped them in the trashcan next to it and then made his way out.

"I got it," he told his dad, who was in the process of standing up. Greg nodded at him and sat back down. The doorbell rang for a second time. "Coming!" he yelled out.

When he opened the door, he felt his heart jump into his throat, stopping him mid-breath. He paled. Before him stood a short girl with short red hair and bright green eyes, a small pink suitcase sitting at her left.

"Diana," he managed to breathe out. His ex-fiancée gave him a shy smile.

* * *

><p>Having finished their ice-creams, Troy and Gabriella continued walking around the park until they found a nice spot underneath a tree. Since it was almost 6, the sun was no longer hitting them hard on their skin, but the shadow the tree was offering was still inviting. Eager to finally be able to sit down after walking around for a while, Gabriella rushed over, letting go of her boyfriend's hand, and accommodated herself down on the grass.<p>

Troy rolled his blue orbs at her childish behavior, but smiled like he always did; after all, that's what he loved the most about her. With his hands deep in his pockets, he finished his way towards her at his own pace, unconsciously playing with the heart-locket that he now always carried with him.

Right after Annie got out of the hospital, Troy took Gabriella's heart-locket to a jewelry store to see if they could fix it up a little. Since he always carried it with him, waiting for the precise moment to give it back to her –thing that never happened, since none of the alone moments they've had seemed right enough to him–, it became a little embossed in the front, where the 'G' was engraved, and the chain broke. Like he had once said, it was poor quality.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Troy let out a sigh. He had kept it mostly because he thought he would never be able to have Gabriella, but now that he was certain that he did, he no longer knew why he still carried it with him. He had kept it for almost three weeks now with no reason whatsoever but the fear of her reaction; after all, she had lost it almost a year ago.

_Huh_, Troy thought as he sat down next to his girlfriend. He couldn't believe that on November it would be a year since he first met Gabriella at Savannah's Flower Shop. He unconsciously smiled as he remembered her slipping on a water puddle and falling flat on her back as two huge flower arrangements fell over her. Back then he would have never admitted it, but she looked so cute worrying over what her boss would do to her for dropping the arrangements.

Gabriella, who had gotten her good mood back, arched a curious eyebrow at her smiling boyfriend. After all, she had gone out with him so she could get a small break from everything. She placed her chin over his shoulder and bit back a smirk as he turned to look at her. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

Troy smiled at her as they locked eyes. "The day I met you," he admitted, softly. He searched for her hand and laced their fingers. Gabriella groaned and buried her face in his shoulder; Troy chuckled.

"Oh, don't remind me, that day was so embarrassing!" she complained.

The blue eyed teen smirked at her, enjoying her embarrassment. He leaned his head against the tree trunk and waited for her to look back up at him. "I never got to thank you for helping me pick out those flowers for my mom," he told her.

Gabriella gave him a half smile. "It was no problem," she told him. "Did you know that you were the only one who ever bought those flowers? Apparently they were too expensive for other costumers. Savannah had to stop ordering them, not only because they wouldn't sell, but because they had to be cut off of some tree; so they weren't exactly commercial."

"I really don't care, Cupcake," he told her impassively, shaking his head. He then chuckled when Gabriella smacked him on the chest.

"Jerk," she rolled her eyes but then smiled as she felt Troy's lips on her temple. Their eyes locked one more time and Troy watched Gabriella bite her bottom lip before he leaned down to kiss her. He placed his hand on her cheek and rubbed it with his thumb, his heart pounding happily. Seconds later he pulled back and watched as Gabriella smiled a stupid grin at him. He smiled back.

Troy slid his hand from her cheek down to her neck. He didn't say anything. He just looked at her; he looked at how her eyes glowed with peace and joy. She looked extremely beautiful. He sighed. Well, she always looked beautiful to him.

"What?" the brunette asked, curious as to why he was looking at her so intensely. Troy shook his head and leaned down to peck her lips, squeezing the back of her neck lovingly. He knew it was time, and whatever was her reaction he'd just have to deal with it.

He cleared his throat after pulling back. "I've got something for you," he informed her, dropping his hand from her neck and moving it towards the right pocket of his jeans. The brunette cocked her head to the side with curiosity.

"Troy, didn't we agree that you wouldn't buy me anything else?" she arched an eyebrow at him, giving him a disbelieving look.

Troy rolled his eyes at her as he pulled the necklace out of his pocket, making a fist of it so the brunette wouldn't see it yet. "You agreed to that, I didn't."

Gabriella gave him a look. "Troy."

"Relax, Cupcake, don't get your panties in a twist. I didn't buy it," he said and ignored the glare his girlfriend shot at him. He gulped silently. "Actually, it's yours," he stated, his voice a little bit quieter, and the brunette's glare quickly disappeared to be replaced by a confused look.

"Mine?"

Troy sighed and moved his fist to her, his eyes never leaving her face. Gabriella looked down to his fist and watched it open. Her eyes went wide as plates and she felt her stomach coil around itself as she recognized the familiar 'G' engraved on the heart-locket her boyfriend was holding. _The_ heart-locket she had lost almost 10 months ago, the one with the picture of her father, her brother and her at their old house, the one that she was forced to let go of since it was nowhere to be found.

Troy, whose breathing had stopped, waited nervously for her to do or say something. His heart was beating quickly and he was having trouble to keep his hand from shaking with nerve. Not that he would ever say it out loud, but he was actually afraid of his girlfriend's reaction; not like when he was about to tell her about his mother's death, but he was still… scared.

"Where did you get this?" the brunette asked, her sudden trembling hands taking the heart-locket from his palm.

The blue eyed boy dropped his hand. "I found it," he cleared his throat. He watched Gabriella stare unbelieving at the heart-locket between her fingers. "In my front lawn, after w-we crashed when you were taking Calah out for a walk."

"I thought I lost it," she breathed out, feeling her eyes filling up with tears. She passed her thumb over the engraved 'G', just like Troy had done so many times. She noticed that the cover was shinier, smoother, and that the chain was new, but there was no doubt that the necklace was hers. She looked up at Troy and the boy felt his throat close. "You've had it all this time?"

Troy nodded silently, his eyes glued to hers.

"Why?" she asked with disbelief. "Why didn't you give it back sooner? Why did you keep it? Do you know how much this necklace means to me, Troy?" she voiced out the questions in the order as they came to mind, her voice becoming tight with emotion as she tried not to cry. She had cried a lot recently, she was growing sick of it.

Troy sighed again, looking down at the small space between their legs. He dared to place his hand over her thigh and rubbed it with his thumb. He looked back up at her.

"I'm an idiot," he stated. "That's my excuse for keeping it," he told her. The brunette continued giving him a disbelieving look, obviously not satisfied with his answer. She opened her mouth to reproach him, but closed it as Troy spoke up again. "I just… I didn't know how to give it back to you, Gab. There was one time I tried putting it in your locker, actually the Monday after you lost it, but...I just…I couldn't."

"And why not?" she frowned at him, her voice firm and disgruntled. Troy didn't blame her though; he knew the heart-locket meant the world to her.

Troy sighed, his brow furrowing a bit as he looked back down to his hand rubbing her leg; it surprised him that she hadn't pushed him away yet. "Damn, Gab," he breathed, his bangs falling in front of his eyes, forbidding Gabriella to see them. The brunette's frown deepened; his hair annoyed her so much. Even though she wasn't exactly pleased with him at the moment, she lifted her hand up and pushed his hair back and out of his eyes. Troy looked up at her.

"Your hair annoys me," she murmured in explanation, still looking at Troy with a displeased expression.

Troy gave her a quick shy smile before sighing. "I wanted to have something of yours," he explained. "I never thought that I would…that _you_ would ever be my girlfriend, or even my friend, so I just thought that keeping your heart-locket would be the closest thing to having you. It was a stupid idea, but at the moment it was enough for me to keep it. I didn't know it meant that much to you… at least not until I opened it months after," he explained. "After I opened it, I tried to give it back to you numerous times, but I didn't know how, at least not without having to bring my walls down. I've been carrying it around in my pocket for more than four months, trying to find that opportune moment, but none of the alone moments we've had seemed good enough. I guess… some part of me wasn't ready to give it back, at least not until you knew about my mom," he confessed with a slow sigh, his hand squeezing her thigh tenderly. "I was...insecure. And I'm sorry."

Gabriella shook her head and looked down at her heart-locket. "Damn you, Troy," she let out a shaky breath, her eyes still fighting back the tears. The worst part is that she understood his reasons, especially since she knew how his stupid little twisted head worked. It wasn't surprising. But that didn't mean that she was fond of his insecurity, especially when it made him keep something as important to her as her heart-locket.

Her understanding didn't make her displeasure go away. "Damn you," she repeated. She didn't know what else to say. She couldn't tell him that it was okay, because it wasn't, but she couldn't exactly yell at him or be angry at him, because she wasn't either. She just was… overwhelmed. It was just too much. She thought she had lost the most precious object to her because she had been a distracted clumsy idiot like always. She had been so angry at herself because her father had worked so hard to give it to her when she turned 15.

He hadn't been able to throw her a party like any other Latin-American parent would. But Gabriella didn't complain about it, she didn't even want to have a party; she didn't care. Actually, she thought it was… pathetic. She didn't want to have one of those ridiculous puffy dresses that she wouldn't be able to wear ever again or waltz around with every male she had invited or have that idiotic Last-Toy ceremony or the stupid coronation like if she was a princess.

It wasn't like she had gone to one of those before, she didn't have any other Mexican friends and all her cousins were boys. She had only gone to a couple of Sweet-Sixteen's, and, even though it was nearly the same shit, it was different. Her aunts were the ones who continuously rambled about it when she was 14 and she went on vacations to visit her grandparents in Mexico City; she had returned to Albuquerque with red eyes and a cold –the pollution there could be something horrible if your weren't used to it, especially when it was winter.

Her aunts weren't exactly excited about the idea of the traditional _15-Años_, they were actually ranting about how she should do something simpler; a nice cute dress, a few guests, cake and the dancing with her father and brother. But still, Gabriella wasn't fond of the idea; and even though they were in a better economic state back then, it wasn't like her father could afford a party.

Gabriella had told him that she wasn't mad, that he shouldn't feel guilty, but Gregory still felt like he wasn't being fair; so in the morning of her birthday he surprised her with that golden heart-locket. The brunette came to love that necklace so much; she only wore it when she felt like she needed some luck. And boy she thought she needed it to get through Troy's thick walls.

"Gabriella," Troy called her name, seeing that she was deep in thought as she stared down at the heart-locket. The girl looked up at him, her eyes unreadable. Troy wanted to wince at her cold expression; she had never looked at him like that before. "Gab, say something…"

Gabriella shook her head. "I don't know what to tell you, Troy," she said with a sigh. "I honestly don't."

Troy felt a pain pierce through his chest, but he nodded. He was expecting her to react differently, maybe yell at him or something, but her silence and her cold stare was what he got; and, damn, it was worse than what he had thought. He sighed and removed his hand from her thigh, bending his knees up.

"Gab, I'm sorry," he apologized.

"I know, Troy," she rested her head against the tree trunk, looking at him. She shook her head. "And I'm not mad at you, I just…" she trailed off with a quiet sigh. "I don't know. I'm just not happy that you kept it for so long."

Troy kept quiet.

"My dad gave this to me when I turned 15, you know?" she told him. "It's… sort of my lucky charm. You don't know how upset I was when I lost it, I felt guilty and angry and sad and I was so pissed off at myself for being such an idiot," she looked up at the branches of the tree, trying to keep the tears from flowing. "I thought I'd never see it again and..." she trailed off again, a lump forming in her throat. A moment later she knew her eyes had betrayed her when she felt Troy's thumb wipe away a tear that had managed to escape.

She looked down at her boyfriend and she felt her heart sink to her stomach with sudden guilt as she saw the pained expression that had taken place in his face usual serene face. More tears began flowing down her cheeks. "Damn, Troy," she shook her head, beginning to feel desperate. "I want to be mad at you, but I can't! How can I be mad at you when I know how your twisted head works?" she exclaimed. "And how can I be mad at you when you're giving me that face?" she frowned, moving one of her hands up and pinching his cheek roughly. Troy winced and pulled away, but didn't say anything; he didn't think he was in any position to complain.

Troy watched Gabriella sigh and shake her head one more time. His heart continued beating wildly against his chest as he waited for her to outburst once again, but he was surprised when she leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his shoulder. He blinked; he would be lying if he didn't say he was a little taken aback by her weird change of behavior.

"Gab…" he tried to speak as he placed a hand over her shoulder.

"Shut up," she murmured. "Right now, I really don't like you," she breathed out. Troy grimaced as he rubbed her shoulder, slowly. Perhaps it would be better not to say anything, at least not yet. After a couple of minutes the brunette looked up at him and rested her chin on his shoulder. Troy stared back.

_Damn those blue eyes_, she thought bitterly as she unconsciously passed her thumb over her heart-locket. _And damn his scared little broken heart_. She was angry that she couldn't be angry at him. Did that make sense? Probably not, but that's how she felt. She could imagine how he had felt with the whole situation; it wasn't hard. Trying to wonder how to give it back, keeping it so he could have a little piece of her, feeling guilty when he found out that it was important to her…

He had acted selfish. But then again, so had she. She had continuously nagged him until she got him to open up to her only because she was too stubborn to let him win. She had acted selfish because she had wanted _him_ as well, no matter the cost.

The brunette frowned annoyed once again as Troy's hair fell on his eyes. "I'm going to cut your hair when you're asleep," she complained, pushing his hair back. Troy continued being quiet. Gabriella licked her bottom lip and pulled back. She let out a quiet sigh as she stared at her boyfriend's sorry face; it looked like he was waiting for her to say that she forgave him.

Well, better late than never, right?

"You got it fixed?" she asked.

"Yeah," Troy nodded. "With so much carrying it around, it…needed it."

"Okay," Gabriella nodded. "Thank you."

"It was no problem, Cupcake."

Gabriella gave him a half smile. "Help me put it on, Cinnamon Roll?" she asked, her voice still quiet. Troy smiled back and nodded, opening his hand to her. Gabriella placed the heart-locket in his palm and turned her back to him, lifting her hair up.

Troy stared down at the heart-locket one last time, letting out a nostalgic sigh. Silently, he said his goodbyes to it and passed his thumb over it one last time before he placed it around Gabriella's neck. Unconsciously a cycle of fear and uncertainty closed along with the clasp. Troy was no longer afraid to lose her now that he allowed himself to have her. He no longer needed the necklace to have some sort of connection to her. Gabriella Montez wouldn't go anywhere, at least not without him.

* * *

><p>It was around 7 when Troy finally dropped Gabriella off at her house. She couldn't wait to tell her dad that Troy had found her necklace. She was now smiling from ear to ear as she looked down at it as she walked up the porch's steps. She was just glad that she had her heart-locket back, even if Troy had kept it for almost 10 months.<p>

The golden-skinned girl opened the door and stepped inside, but before she could yell out to anyone, she found a note on the entrance table. With a curious frown, she picked it up and immediately recognized her brother's handwriting.

_Gabs, _

_I had to go out for a while. It's a long story. I'm just going to tell you that Diana showed up at our doorstep. I don't know the time, but I'm sure it's around 6, I hope to be back by 7 or perhaps 8 for dinner. _

_I left dad watching a soccer game, I'm pretty sure that by the time you get home he'll be back in his office or probably asleep. Call me if anything happens. We're at the café that you work in. _

_Love, Tom. _

Gabriella's curious frown turned into an annoyed one. Diana? What the hell was Diana doing in Albuquerque? The bitch dumped her brother because she didn't want to move! Why would Tom want to talk to her? He wouldn't take her back, would he? Because if she came down here it would be to try to get Tom back, right? It was obvious!

The brunette rolled her eyes and shook her head, scoffing. Who was she kidding? She was talking about Tom! Of course he would take her back! The stupid banana brain was in love with her. Plus, from all the years that she knew that red-head bimbo, she knew she was a smooth talker; she would bet a million dollars, if she had them, that she would convince him to forgive her.

She sighed. "Ugh, you're such an idiot!" she growled and crumbled up the note before tossing it back on the table. Well, it was _his_ problem, not hers.

Gabriella walked into the living room and dropped her purse on the armchair in front of the window and immediately looked at the couch to see if her dad was asleep there. He wasn't, so the brunette immediately thought that he was in his office checking for any important mail.

"Dad?" she yelled out. "I'm home!" she took off her red hoody and tossed it on the armchair next to her purse before heading for her dad's office. "Dad?" she called him again as she pushed the door open. She stepped into the office and frowned. He wasn't there either.

"That's weird," she murmured to herself. As she went to turn around and leave, thinking that he was perhaps taking a shower, her eyes caught the sight of a big pack of sheets of paper in the trashcan next to her father's desk. Curiously, she walked further into the office and took them out.

_Maria= Gabriella. _

She read in big bold letters and immediately frowned, taken aback. "What the…?" she said underneath her breath as she browsed through the other pages. Her name and her mother's were continuously repeated, sometimes Tom's, and then there were eyes and mouths badly drawn. For some reason her heart began picking up its pace. Had her dad done this?

But why? And why did her name and her mother's were the most repeated?

Gabriella couldn't think through it much when she heard someone step into the office. She turned around and found her father standing there.

"Hey," she immediately greeted, still frowning worriedly. She placed the papers behind her on the desk, deciding to not mention anything about it. "I thought you'd be in here. Where were you?" she asked.

Gregory didn't say anything; he just continued staring at the young girl in front of him. Gabriella wasn't surprised by his silence, though. No. What surprised her was the sudden new speed her heart had taken and the sudden urge she felt of running out of there. For a moment, she didn't understand why, it was just her father not a murderer; but as she looked up at his expression, but really looked at it, she suddenly understood.

His stand was rigid, his hands were balled into fists, his expression was hard, angry, and his eyes weren't the usually warm brown that made Gabriella feel her father's love, they were pitch-black. The brunette took a step back, trying to find a way to run out of there. The man that stood before her wasn't her father.

"Daddy?" she said, her voice quivery and weak.

Greg shook his head. "You've got a nerve to show up in here, Maria," he growled ominously at her and Gabriella's eyes went wide; for some reason her mind quickly focused the papers behind her on the desk. _Maria=Gabriella._

"No, wait," she shook her head. "Dad."

"You left us," he took a step further into the office. "You left your kids," Gabriella's hands began trembling. "Forget about me, you left Tom and Gabriella without a mother!" he yelled at her.

"Daddy, no," she took another step back as Greg took one forward. "It's me! I'm Gabriella!"

Gregory chuckled bitterly and shook his head. "Listen to that, Jason," he commented as his eyes darted to the corner of the room. Gabriella quickly turned her head to the corner, finding it empty. She shook her head, turning back to her dad. He continued stalking at her. "You're going to pay, Maria, for my kids."

Tom sighed as he stepped out of his car and slammed the door behind him. He rubbed his face tiredly and looked up at the darkening sky. After having a long talk with his ex-fiancée, which didn't really lead anywhere, he dropped her off at a small Motel two blocks away from there, both deciding that it would be better to take a couple of days to think things through before taking a decision if to whether take back on their relationship or not.

He retrieved the keys out of his pocket and started making his way up the path to his house. But then his keys fell down to the ground as he jumped startled, his heart immediately picking up his pace as he heard his little's sister high-pitched scream penetrating into his ears.

"Gabriella?" he breathed out, suddenly feeling scared. He quickly picked up his keys and rushed into his house, many scenarios crossing his mind of his dad going into another episode. But no, what he was about to find was nowhere near to another catatonic stupor episode.

Tom rushed into his father's office and his eyes went wide. "DAD, NO!" he yelled.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**Sorry that it's short and sorry for the cliffhanger, I couldn't help it! xD But I had this chapter planned up to end up like this. Well, I hadn't planned Gabriella getting her heart-locket back, but I actually need her to have it; you'll see why. **

**Next chapter's going to be a little confusing, but you'll get it, don't worry. **

**And I'm so, so, so, SO, so sorry for the wait! I was a little stuck in the middle of the chapter, plus my brother got me playing this freaking RPG game called 'Diablo III' and IT'S FUCKING AWESOME!**

**It's so damn addictive! I haven't been able to stop playing it! And the story is great! And the heroes are so amazing! I chose a Wizard and now I'm level 50! **

…**I need help… I really do. I'm not even a gamer girl! But I just can't stop playing it! **

**Ask those who are following me on twitter xD **

**Anywho! I didn't really like this chapter, but I hope you did. This story is almost over now. A couple more chapters, perhaps an Epilogue and that's it! **

**Don't forget to leave a review behind! **

**Lots of love,**

**Mary. **

**P.S: Sorry for Grammar and Spelling mistakes! **

**My twitter: btzzmary **

**I follow back ;) just remind me to follow you! **


	26. Learning to Cope

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter twenty-five_

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**! **

**CHARACTER REMINDER:**

**Lucas: Annie's husband.**

**Austin Hobbs: the guy who stalked Gabriella. **

**Diana: Tom's ex-fiancée**

**Lydia: Jack's girlfriend**

**Terry: Lydia's daughter. **

**Nicole and Isabelle (just in case): Troy's maids. **

**REMEMBER: THIS CHAPTER IS A LITTLE BIT TRICKY! It's full of flashbacks!**

* * *

><p>August<p>

September

October

November

December

Troy crossed his arms as he sat down on the front steps of his porch, waiting for Lydia's kid to finally finish doing her homework so he could take her to the mall just like Jack had commanded him to do.

On September, Jack had proposed to Lydia and, even though they had only been dating a little over 7 months, she had said yes. She not only surprised her daughter and Troy, but Annie and the maids were quite shocked as well. By October the two girls had moved into the Bolton household; Troy no longer had the third story to himself, he now had a short 9 year old neighbor.

And he didn't like it.

Even though Terry had liked Troy at first, the young girl had grown to despise him and she avoided him as much as possible. Troy wasn't exactly too warm with her; in fact, he ignored her when they were forced to be in the same room, he gave her mean looks and rolled his eyes at anything she said, as if trying to tell her that all her comments were wrong and stupid. Terry wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of living with her future step-brother.

Lydia, noticing that her child and Troy weren't exactly getting along, asked Jack to tell his son to take Terry out so they could bond. Jack immediately agreed, and since they both had to work extra hours that week, he ordered Troy to take Terry out for dinner, even when Annie was already back to work. Troy wasn't exactly in the mood to argue, thing which surprised Jack; he hadn't exactly been in the mood to argue for the past five months, which also explained why they hadn't had any strong fights.

They had one at the end of August; Troy hadn't quite been over of Jack's little encounter with Gabriella on July and the boy had been under so much stress that week that he had blown up at Jack in the middle of dinner after one of his many stupid comments. Troy ended up with a bleeding lip that night.

* * *

><p>"<em>You alright, son?" Jack had asked that evening, looking up from the end of the table after Lydia stood up to go to the kitchen; since Annie was still in her maternity break, the thirty-something woman offered to make dinner. Troy didn't answer and continued eating his chicken soup, ignoring the usual bipolar concern that his father showed every two days. Jack sighed and shook his head.<em>

"_Look at it this way, Troy," the 45 year old man said, thinking that he knew why his son was acting grumpier than usual. "With your girlfriend out of the way, you can concentrate on getting better grades in school this year," he commented. "You hadn't quite done your best." _

_Terry's eyes went wide at her mother's boyfriend's comment. She turned to look at Troy, who froze at his father's words as he was about to take a spoonful of his soup. The 9 year old blonde watched him tense as he placed the spoon back into the bowl and look up at his father across the table, the already navy blue in his eyes turning a little bit darker. _

"_Not like it matters to you, but my grades have nothing to do with my girlfriend," he told him, an ominous tone in his voice. _

_Jack arched an eyebrow at his son. "Really?"_

"_Really," the teen mocked him. _

"_Watch the attitude, Troy," he warned him, making Troy roll his eyes bitterly. "Besides, whether or not she was the reason for your crappy grades, she will no longer be able to ever become a distraction. Look at that as the bright side." _

_Troy clenched his fists and worked his jaw in circles. He took in a breath to keep calm. "Looks like you finally got it your way, didn't you?" he questioned sarcastically just as Lydia came back into the dining room with a bowl of salad in her hands and sat beside Jack. _

_Jack frowned at him. "My way?"_

_Troy shook his head at him; he was such a hypocrite. "Quit playing with me, Jack," he said to him. "You always wanted Gabriella out of my life." _

_Lydia frowned at the teen. "What's going on?"_

"_You can't prove that," Jack narrowed his eyes at Troy, ignoring Lydia's question. _

"_No, I can't," Troy agreed. "I wasn't there when you told Gabriella I pushed my own mother in front of the car that killed her," he said, his tone still ominous; somewhere between the weeks after Gabriella's dad got out of the hospital she had mentioned it to him, reluctantly, when Troy had insisted. Lydia's eyes went wide. "I can only trust her word. Oh but look at that, your fucking lie didn't get her to leave me." _

"_Troy Alexander!" Jack yelled. "That's a serious accusation! Did that…_bitch_ tell you that?" _

"_YOU DON'T FUCKING CALL HER THAT!" Troy instantly sprang up, knocking his chair backwards as he yelled at his father. _

"_I'LL CALL HER WHATEVER THE HELL I WANT!" Jack yelled back, standing up as well. "SHE GOT THE NERV TO LIE ABOUT ME!" _

"_Guys, please!" Lydia tried to intercede, seeing that Terry was beginning to get frightened with their yelling. "Calm down!" _

_Troy narrowed his eyes at Jack, his nails digging into his palms and his knuckles turning white. "For some reason is not hard to believe her," he hissed at him. "After all you've always been a fucking lair and a hypocrite." _

"_Watch your mouth, Troy Alexander, or I'll rip it off!" he threatened him. _

"_Go ahead!" the teen yelled. "It's fucking fine by me! There's nothing new about it!" _

"_Do not challenge me, Troy!" he hissed. _

_Troy gave him a grim smirk. "You can't do it," he shook his head. "Not with them here," he said, referring to Lydia and Terry. Jack glared at him. Troy turned to Lydia. "Thanks for dinner, Lydia, but I think I lost my appetite," he turned to glare at Jack before he turned and exited the dining room. _

_Jack followed. "Troy Alexander!" he yelled after him. _

* * *

><p>Troy was brought back from his memory when he heard the door open and close behind him. He turned to look over his shoulder to see that his soon to be step-sister had stepped out as she put on her purple jacket. Terry was a little short for her age, her blonde hair was usually up in a ponytail and her black thick glasses were a little too big for her face in Troy's opinion, and she was also a little chubby. Boy, she must be the object of mockery in her school; her looks plus her brains wasn't exactly popular girl material.<p>

The teen sighed. "Ready to go?" he asked deadpan. Terry nodded her head but didn't say anything. Troy stood up from his seat on the stairs and dug his hands in his pockets, his right hand still aching for the missing heart-locket. "Let's go," he breathed out and Terry followed him to his car, zipping up her jacket.

The ride to the mall was quiet, but the quietness wasn't strange between the two almost-siblings. Terry wasn't one to break the silence and neither was Troy; like Annie had once observed, if they didn't have different parents, she would swear that they were blood related. Troy hadn't had anyone in his car since Gabriella, so having another female presence in there, even when it was a nine year old, made him feel uneasy.

He missed his girlfriend's laugh, her continuous rant over something stupid he had done, the way she stuck her tongue out at him and even the way she would suddenly lace her fingers with his while he drove. He also missed the days she was quiet, which weren't often; but even then, the silence wasn't awkward.

Damn, he even missed her calling him that stupid nickname she came up with because he started calling her Cupcake just to piss her off. Cinnamon Roll. He never thought he would miss it to the point where he wanted to cry just by passing in front of the Coffee Shop she used to work in.

Yes, _cry_. The big bad Troy Bolton, who hadn't cried since his mother's death, felt a knot form in his throat every time he passed in front of any place that reminded him of her.

And just as Troy and Terry passed by East High School's building, the teen had to take a deep breath as he struggled to keep his eyes on the road, trying to prevent taking a glimpse at his school. It was Winter Break; he didn't have to deal with it for another week and a half.

* * *

><p><em>It was the first Monday of his Senior Year and Troy couldn't feel more miserable. Everywhere he went and everywhere he looked, something reminded him of Gabriella. His old locker, her old locker, the halls themselves, the music room, his homeroom, his Biology classroom of last year, the library, the cafeteria...; he couldn't even sit at his usual lunch table. He wanted to go somewhere that didn't remind him of his girlfriend, and he couldn't exactly go to his mother's grave; even that place reminded him of her for all the times he expressed his desperation for the brunette to his mother.<em>

_So by free period he sat at the bleachers of the gym, cursing himself for not remembering in time that the Spring Ball had taken place there and he was staring at the exact same spot where they had their first dance of the night. He remembered the glimmer in her eyes beneath the silver half-face mask he had bought for her, the sensation of her fingers drawing patterns on the back of his neck, the feel of her lips on his as they kissed, the feeling of her clothed hips beneath his firm hands…_

_Troy felt the unusual knot form in his throat once again as he remembered how beautiful she had looked that night in the dress he had bought for her. Her wavy soft hair, her smooth tanned legs, the bright happy grin she wore when he tripped over the armchair as he walked over to reach her, her curvy beautiful body accentuated by the white and red dress…_

_He just wanted to hold her again. _

_The teen was brought back when he heard the gym's door open and he looked up to see his childhood best friend, Chad, walk in. The basketball captain was alone and Troy found this odd since he usually had Taylor hanging on his right arm. The two old friends looked at each other for a moment, Chad wearing a surprised look while Troy's was impassive. After a couple of seconds, the chocolate-skinned teen walked over the blue eyed teen._

"_Hey," Chad greeted, burying his hands in his pockets. _

_Troy didn't answer right away. He looked at Chad for a second, studying his face; he looked almost as miserable as him. "Hey," he turned his head to look down at his hands. Chad took this as a good sign and climbed up the bleachers until he reached him. He sat down next to Troy. _

_The teens didn't speak for a long moment, neither of them knowing what to say or if they should say anything at all. Chad knew Troy wasn't one to break awkward silences, so he turned to him and decided to speak up first. _

"_How you holding up?" he asked and watched Troy shrug. By then, the teen couldn't care for anything else in the world. So what if he talked to Chad? It wasn't like it mattered. What else could life do to him?_

"_I could be better," he answered honestly, his voice flat and emotionless. _

_Chad nodded and scratched his head. "Yeah," he sighed. "Me too," Troy turned to look at him and they stared at each other. "Have you talked to her brother?" _

_Troy nodded. "He looks like shit." _

"_Yeah," Chad mumbled, rubbing his forearm. "He doesn't look much more positive than us." _

_Troy let out a sarcastic scoff. "How could he, Chad?" he asked rhetorically. "He had to send his father to a mental hospital and his sister will never wake up from the coma," he winced at his last sentence. _

"_Hey," Chad frowned, going to place his hand on his shoulder but deciding against it. "My mom said there was a chance that she-."_

"_Oh, quit dreaming, Chad," Troy cut him off with a snarl. "Gabriella will never wake up, deal with it. Better face it now than when it's too late." _

_Chad's frown deepened. "How can you be so sure?" _

_Troy laughed bitterly and looked down at his hands between his open legs. "Because I love her," he said and Chad gave him a confused look. "And life just has a funny way to tell me that… everything I come to love just… ends. Just when… things finally seem to get better… I just get knocked down again and…" he trailed off with a sigh._

"_You can't think like that, Troy," Chad said, shaking his head. _

"_I can and I will," Troy stated. _

"_Well I think you're underestimating her," the brown-eyed guy said. "Gabriella, I mean."_

_Troy turned to look at him with an incredulous look. Chad gave him a half smile. _

"_She's too stubborn to just let go of you that easily," he commented, this time daring to place his hand on his shoulder and giving him a friendly shake. "She would fight death just to prove you wrong." _

_Troy stared at him but kept quiet, afraid to admit that some part of him thought he was right. Gabriella would do anything to prove him wrong. She loved him; she couldn't just leave him, right? Troy sighed, the small spark of hope he had been trying so hard to ignore growing stronger in his heart. He hated it._

_That one last little spark of hope was the one to hurt the most when it was time to put it out. That was why he was trying so hard to pretend it wasn't there. He didn't know if he could take that last punch of dissapointment. _

"_Let's throw some hoops," Chad suddenly said, standing up from his seat and descending the bleachers. "It'll get our mind off things for a while." _

_Troy stared after him and watched him pick up a ball from the rack at one side of the basketball court. "I haven't picked up a ball since…my mom, Chad." _

_The afro-haired guy turned to him and tossed him the ball, which Troy caught with ease. "I'll go easy on you." _

_Troy stared at Chad for a second before looking down at the basketball between his hands. He sighed and stood up. Screw it. It was just one One-On-One wasn't it? It couldn't hurt. _

_What Troy didn't realize at that moment is that he had thought something close to that when he first danced with Gabriella in his living room. _

* * *

><p>Even though Troy had sucked at that small game, he had missed playing basketball. Chad won him by far, but after that game, Troy wanted a re-match. It was needless to say that they had been spending more time together after that day and Troy had been getting better at his game.<p>

By the end of September something funny happened. Coach Williams happen to have walked in on Troy and Chad playing after school and asked Troy to try out for the upcoming season. After a week of continuous nagging from both Annie and Chad on how he always wanted to play Pro, he gave in and tried out for the team, not only because he was tired of Annie and Chad, but also because he no longer cared if he was doing the right thing or not, or if it would make him happy or not; his life was miserable enough without his girlfriend.

Not that he would ever admit it, but he was secretly excited about being in the team, plus it helped him keep his mind off of Gabriella. The only thing that wasn't exactly good was that he was now teammates with Austin Hobbs, Gabriella's ex-stalker. It was needless to say that he still despised the guy with all his might. They had gotten in a couple of fights since Troy joined the team, fights in which Chad and the guys from the team had to break them apart before the coach sent them to the Principal's Office.

Annie was happy to finally watch him use the basketball court on his backyard every day after dinner. She guessed it was in his blood or something, because the kid was getting unusually good in such a small period of time.

The 18 year old boy parked in front of the mall and immediately killed the engine. He turned to look at the young girl on his passenger seat and couldn't help but wonder why she was suddenly acting so nervous. She wasn't afraid to go out in public, was she?

Deciding to not read too much into it, Troy stepped out of the car and waited for Terry to do the same. He couldn't remember how he had agreed to this. Without saying a word, they walked side by side until they reached the food court.

"What do you want to eat?" Troy asked with a grumble as he crossed his arms, walking around by the fast-food stands.

"Uhm," Terry's tiny voice hesitated. "I don't know."

Troy rolled his eyes. "What do you feel like eating? A cheeseburger? A Subway? Chicken?"

"Uh, a salad?" she asked more than stated. Troy turned to look at her with an arched eyebrow and a weird look in his face.

"A salad?" he questioned and Terry nodded shyly. "Kid, you're… what? Nine? Nine year olds don't eat salads."

She shrugged. "I like salads," she said softly, Troy oblivious to the fact that she was lying. The teen continued arching his eyebrow at her, but shrugged it off.

"Alright," he sighed and walked over to buy his weirdo step-sister a salad. He bought himself a burger and fries from Mc Donald's and then they sat down at the first free table they found.

* * *

><p><em>It was October 18<em>_th__, Troy's birthday. He never thought he would be spending his first birthday with Gabriella…without her. He was never one to make a big fuss about his birthday; in fact, he even wanted everyone to ignore it. But of course Annie, being Annie, baked him a chocolate cake and had the maids sing Happy Birthday to him. Troy was just thankful that she hadn't invited Chad over; it would have been worse. The cook had been worried about him since Gabriella's incident; it seemed that without her there, he had decided to bottle up all his feelings. He wouldn't talk to her about it; he would tell her pretty much everything except… anything that had to do with her. It was like he was trying to reduce the pain by preventing talking about it. It didn't surprise the cook, though she still had wanted to see him smile –even if it was a small smile– the day of his 18__th__ birthday._

_Like every year, Jack hadn't said anything to him, but Troy knew he hadn't forgotten; every year Jack would leave two 500 bills on the kitchen counter before he headed off to work. Troy had never understood why his father tried to compensate his missing love with money or material stuff. He guessed that deep down he felt guilty. _

_Even though Annie had tried her hardest to make Troy feel happy that day, the teen still felt something missing. It wasn't like he didn't appreciate Annie's efforts, because he did, but no matter what she did... she… couldn't give him what Troy really wanted –to spend time with his girlfriend. _

_So after Annie left that night, Troy waited for the maids, his father, Lydia and her kid to go to bed before he zipped up his hoody and climbed into his car before drove off to the hospital. Luckily his father's girlfriend hadn't found out that it was his birthday or she would have surely wanted to do some awkward celebration. _

_For some reason Troy's heart was beating wildly in his chest as he reached the local hospital. He could still remember when Lucas, Annie's husband, called him to his house to tell him that his girlfriend was brought in the night he gave her her heart-locket back. Lucas had recognized her from the pictures that Annie had taken with her cell phone when the couple wasn't looking. _

_If it wasn't for him, Troy would have never known that Gabriella was at the hospital. He couldn't blame Tom; he was more preoccupied about his sister's life than to call her boyfriend. He couldn't blame Chad or his mother either because they didn't have his phone number. The only one there who could have called him was Gabriella. Troy would be forever thankful with Lucas for letting him know. That night, Troy broke more than 50 traffic rules when he reached the hospital. _

_Troy opened the door to Gabriella's hospital room and felt his heart sink to his stomach as he watched her plugged to too many machines for Troy's liking. It was one of the main reasons why he didn't like visiting; he couldn't take seeing her like that. The teen looked around the room, surprised to see that Tom wasn't there like he usually was, but Troy didn't think too much of it, thinking that maybe he went home to take a shower and change. _

_The brunette looked so fragile with so many tubes coming in and out of her body. The stitched wound on her forehead wasn't that red anymore, and the hand-shape bruises in her neck were beginning to lose their purple color. Yet, she still looked awful. It broke Troy's heart, it seriously did. _

_The 18 year old sat on the chair next to her bed and scooted it as close to the bed as he could. He immediately took one of her hands and brought her palm to his lips, giving her a longing and pained kiss. Today it didn't matter to him, it didn't matter how much it hurt to see her like this; he wanted to be by her side just for the sake of it. The boy missed her; he didn't need to have any other reason to be there. _

"_You won't guess what Annie pulled off today," Troy started off after a long moment of silence, placing his hand softly over her forehead and caressing it tenderly with his thumb, careful to not touch her stitches. "She baked me a cake and made Nicole and Isabelle sing Happy Birthday to me," he rolled his eyes. "She knows I'd rather ignore my birthday, so either she did it to annoy me or she just didn't give a fuck of what I thought and tried to make me happy," he breathed out, chuckling a little. He turned to look at the heart monitor and the faint smile that had managed to form in his lips fell. He sighed. _

_He removed his hand from her forehead and crossed his arms, resting them over the white mattress of the hospital bed. He looked at his unconscious girlfriend and he felt his heart start aching with every beat. He leaned over and pressed a sweet kiss on her bruised neck, just like if he was trying to heal them; thing which he quite knew was childish and stupid but couldn't help doing. He started feeling the knot in his throat forming. He shook his head and tried forcing it down his throat. _

_But he couldn't. He couldn't take it anymore. He thought he would be able to sit by her side in her room without feeling like breaking down. And before he knew it, everything that he had been trying to keep bottled up was suddenly spilling out from his mouth. Every feeling of desperate hope running through his veins just went pouring out. It has been 6 weeks, why wasn't she waking up? She was supposed to wake up and prove him wrong just like Chad had said. _

"_God damnit, Gabriella!" he let out a shaky breath, the expression of a man being tortured taking place in his usual serene face. "Wake up, please!" he pleaded. "Please! I can't take it anymore," he shook his head. "I can't! You have no idea how much it hurts me to see you like this, Cupcake. This is the reason why I never want to come," he paused and closed his eyes tightly. "But… every day I fail miserably because I have this…urge to see you, just in case that you finally wake up. I haven't stopped hoping Gabriella, and it's fucking killing me! There's always this tiny hope inside me that I just can't make go away. A really big part of me knows that you won't wake up but… I just can't stop hoping," his voice broke a little, the lump in his throat growing thicker, a stinging feeling starting to burn his eyes. _

_Troy opened his blue orbs, staring at the paleness of Gabriella's face. "Do you have any idea how frustrating that is?" he asked. "And do you know how frustrating it is to not know why this happened to you? For God's sake Gabriella, you just can't come into my life, make me believe that I can be happy and then just die on me! You can't be that cruel! You can't be that selfish! Shit, think of Tom and your dad. You can't let your dad believe he killed you, you can't let him live with that guilt. You can't let Tom resent your father, because even though he won't want to, deep down, he will!" he exclaimed with a tight voice. "You just can't be that selfish," he shook his head. "You just can't die on me, Montez!" _

_And that's when it happened. That's when Troy knew Gabriella had managed to break down all his walls and strip him down naked from all his shields. A sole tear rolled down from his left eye, making its way down his cheek and then hitting on the mattress, right next to Gabriella's unmoving hand. For the first time in almost 11 years, Troy Bolton was crying. _

_He shook his head, trying to prevent more tears from falling, but he soon knew there was no use after the second tear rolled down his right cheek. He continued shaking his head_

"_Damn it! Please don't leave me," he cried silently, his now trembling hand holding on to hers tightly. "I've become too selfish myself to just let go of you, Gabriella. Damn, you…you," he sniffled. "You've rooted yourself to my life and I know it sounds…wrong and childish coming from just a stupid kid my age, but Gab, you… gave me a reason to keep holding on to life. _You_ are the reason why I keep holding on. What am I supposed to believe if you die on me? What am I supposed to do? Just… go on? Gab, I don't know if I will be able to," he paused, silent tears still flowing continuously down his handsome face. "Even if I got Annie's help, you are my partner, Gabriella, not her or anyone else. You!" _

_After that, Troy didn't say anything else for a long moment. He simply kept holding on to Gabriella's hand as he continued letting tears flow, wiping them away forcefully with his free hand once in a while. He never thought that he would ever think this, but at that moment, he would have rather watch her walk away from him after he told her about his mom, than watching her die this way on him. _

"_Please wake up," he whispered more to himself than her, pressing his forehead down on the mattress. "Please prove me wrong," he mumbled. Troy didn't know for how long he continued crying, but at some point he had fallen asleep. _

_During the entire night, he continued jolting up awake every certain amount of time, his heart hammering loudly against his chest as he checked her state, his dreams making him believe that the brunette had either woken up or…died. _

_The annoying sound of the heart monitor was what awoke Troy the next morning, his face was still resting on the mattress and his hands were still holding on to hers. His back and neck ached badly and he had a feeling that he would find it hard to sit up. He lifted his head up and turned to look at Gabriella before checking the rest of the room; there wasn't any sign of Tom yet. Maybe he had decided to crash at home that night. _

_Troy let out a slow breath and then pushed himself up with a little difficulty. He let go of Gabriella's hand and rubbed his still burning eyes. He checked the time on the clock on the wall and then stood up to go the bathroom. 9:30. His phone was probably dead, so he would surely not hear the end of it when he got home and faced his cook. _

_Since he couldn't do much about it, he decided to take his time; he wouldn't get yelled at any less if he got home half an hour earlier. He did his business, washed his hands and then his face, trying to get rid of the obvious tear stains. He sighed; he couldn't believe he had actually cried the night before. It was just so surreal. He hadn't cried in 11 years, for God's sake! And suddenly… he had simply let it out. He really didn't understand how that happened. _

_The teen dried his face with the towel and then took a quick look at his tired face; he hadn't seen that miserable face in 11 months. He guessed that, before he knew it, Gabriella had changed something within him the morning they met. And just as easy as back then, she had changed him once again. The teen placed the towel down next to the sink and opened the door back to the room. His tired blue eyes suddenly snapped up from his sneakers when he heard a small whimper. A whimper he knew he would recognize anywhere. His breath caught in his throat when brown met blue. The boy felt his heart stop beating. _

_He was suddenly glued to the floor as he watched Gabriella stare back at him thoughtfully, a confused frown adorning her slight pale face. No, it wasn't possible. She wasn't awake. She couldn't be. She had been out for six weeks. No, he had to be dreaming again. Soon he would wake up next to Gabriella's still unconscious body and he would check miserably on her only to see that she was still in a coma. _

"_T-Tr…" the brunette tried to speak, her confused look seeming slightly relieved as she recognized him. She opened and closed her fingers to check mobility. "Tr-Troy…" she said, her voice tiny and weak. Troy's heart jumped as he heard her call his name. _

_That was just too real to be a dream. Her voice was just too different than in his dreams. _

_Gabriella was awake. His Cupcake was awake. _

"_Gab," he breathed out, the knot in his throat suddenly forming again at the sight of his girlfriend's open eyes. The small spark of hope filled up his heart as he rushed over to her side. "Oh my God," he whispered, his voice full of emotion as he carefully placed his hands on either side of her face. Gabriella blinked up at him. _

"_Troy," she whispered his name again, relief evident in her husky voice. It was an understatement to say that she was happy to see someone familiar. After all, she had woken up alone in a strange room. _

"_You're awake," he shook his head, still a little unbelieving, the stinging feeling coming back to his eyes. "You woke up," he smiled a shaky smile before he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, careful with her stitches. _

_Gabriella furrowed her brow slightly as she felt something wet fell on her forehead, and when Troy pulled back, she couldn't help but look at him taken aback. "T-Troy!" she exclaimed in a whisper. "You…y-you're… crying," she frowned at him. No matter how disorientated Gabriella was, she still knew that that wasn't normal –her Troy didn't cry; he hadn't cried since his mother's funeral. "Don't," she shook her head. _

"_I know, I'm sorry, I just…" he shook his head, a small pained chuckle escaping his lips. "I missed you. How are you? Does anything hurt?" he asked, worry evident in his voice, a slight frown appearing on his face. _

_The brunette continued to frown at him. Her thoughts weren't exactly coherent, but that didn't stop her from wondering what had happened that made him cry that way over her. All her confusion and questions increased in her head as she saw her love worrying over her with apparent despair in the way he was looking at her. It must have been something really horrible to make him break down that way. She shook her head again, feeling a bit too weak to form a proper question at the moment; so instead of talking, she made an effort to raise her arms up. _

"_Come," she murmured. It just felt so wrong to see him crying like that. She thought she would never see him more broken than the night he finally told her about his mother. Apparently she was wrong; and she didn't even know what had happened to provoke his crying. All she could really conclude is that she was the one to scare him to death. Had she…had she been in…some…sort of a coma? She shook the thought away. She would ask questions later; at that moment her priority was to stop her boyfriend's tears. _

_Troy carefully leaned down and buried his face in her neck, trying to not touch her red-ish bruises, but the brunette still winced a bit before she weakly wrapped her arms around his back. Why did her neck hurt so much? She felt Troy relax in her arms, dropping his shoulders slightly as if some kind of burden was lifted off of them. He let out a shaky breath against her neck. _

"_I'm…fine," she murmured, closing her eyes, trying to tighten her embrace as she rubbed his back softly. "I'm…h-here," she whispered, comfortingly. _

* * *

><p>Troy couldn't believe that even when she was the one to wake up from the coma, probably scared, confused and disorientated, she was still the one to bring peace to him. She was still the one to comfort him and tell him that everything would be okay, that she was there and that she wouldn't go anywhere. She was always the strong one in their relationship even when her life was a complete mess…<p>

At least until she found out what had happened.

Troy decided that it would be better to let Tom tell his sister exactly what had happened the night she went into a coma. Tom had told Troy when the teen found him and Chad in the E.R's waiting room after driving to the hospital like a maniac, so he knew it wouldn't be proper for him to tell his girlfriend.

So when Tom finally returned that day from the psychiatric department of the hospital –not his house like Troy had thought–, Troy left the room to give the two siblings some space.

Greg had gone into a schizophrenic episode that got him believing that Gabriella was his ex-wife, Maria. When Tom came into the office, Gabriella was trying to get her father off her, scratching his arms and face, as he choked her with his bare hands against the bookshelf next to his desk. Tom had hurried over to them immediately and tried getting his father off of his sister, pulling him by his arms and yelling him to stop, but somehow Greg's grip was too tight on his daughter's neck.

Tom began panicking, tears beginning to stream down his face as he saw Gabriella's eyelids close into unconsciousness. Tom yelled him to stop once again.

"_YOU'RE KILLING HER!" he yelled with despair. "DAD PLEASE, THAT'S YOUR DAUGHTER, FOR GOD'S SAKE! SNAP OUT OF IT! FUCK! STOP!" he cried. _

When Tom yelled at him that it was his daughter who he was choking, Greg's eyes locked on her neck as a shimmer caught his attention. He immediately recognized the heart-locket he had given to his daughter on her 15th birthday hanging from her neck. Greg let out a shaky gasp and immediately let go of Gabriella's neck just as Tom pulled at his arms to get him off her. Both men went tumbling down on their backs and watched how an unconscious Gabriella collapsed on the floor, but not before hitting her forehead on the edge of the desk, making a deep cut into her skin.

Tom immediately stumbled over to her and picked her up from the floor after getting out from underneath his father's body. He carried her over to the couch in the office and started shaking her, tapping her face desperately. All that time, Greg kept crying out 'What did I do?'

When Tom saw that Gabriella wasn't going to wake up, he took out his cell phone and called his neighbor for help. By the time the ambulance came, Greg also had to be taken to the hospital as he went into a panic attack, which wasn't good for his Schizophrenia.

Gabriella got a serious concussion when she hit her head with the desk and she slipped into a coma, the lack of oxygen to her brain when Greg was choking her contributing as well. The doctors said that since they didn't know how long her brain went out without oxygen, they weren't sure how long it would take for Gabriella to wake up from her coma… or if she would be able to wake up at all. They hoped she did, but they weren't sure.

After Troy heard this, he didn't go back home, he drove around until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore, the information being too much for him. He just couldn't wrap his head around the idea that his Gabriella might never wake up, that she might… die. That night he began feeling that knot in the throat, telling him that he wanted to cry. Surprisingly, he hadn't.

After Gregory was fully calmed and back on his 5 senses, the doctors finally managed to clean the scratches that his daughter had left all over his arms and face trying to save her life. Dr. Danforth, Chad's mom, had a small talk with Tom, telling him that his father's condition had worsened to the point where she wasn't sure it was safe to let him keep living at their house; at least for the moment. Tom, of course, immediately refused, not only because he couldn't pay for a psychiatric hospital, but also because he simply couldn't send his father away when he most needed his children.

"_Thomas," Dr. Danforth had said his name firmly. "Your father almost killed your sister tonight; she's lucky you got there in time or she would be dead by now. Do you understand that?" she stared at him seriously. "I'm not saying to abandon your father; I'm saying that you need to think about your sister right now. Gabriella's the one who needs to be taken care of right now. She's 17, she's just a kid. Gregory needs especial treatment that you can no longer give to him at home; are you willing to risk your sister's life or yours, for that matter, just because you're afraid of what your father might feel? If I know him enough, he will be willing to give up a few months at home for his kids, don't you think?" _

_Tom had remained quiet, hating to realize that Dr. Danforth was right. _

_The divorced woman placed a hand over the young man. "I've got some colleagues in the Psychiatric area that owe me a favor; his treatment will cost nothing." _

And just like Dr. Danforth knew he would, Greg acceded to spend a few months in the Psychiatric department of the local hospital. There was no surprise there; the man felt like he didn't even deserve to live after what he had done to his own daughter. He wanted to get better, not only for her but for Tom as well. The next night Gregory was settled in his new room, with no permission whatsoever to leave the floor; not even to visit his daughter. So Tom went up every day or two to keep him updated of Gabriella's condition. Greg cried of happiness when he found out Gabriella had woken up.

Troy was brought back from his thoughts when he heard a bunch of kids around 10 years old squealing and laughing as they sat a couple of tables away from his and Terry's, their mothers trying to get them to settle down.

Troy only rolled his eyes as he took another bite of his burger; like he hadn't had enough of kids recently. He looked up across the table to Terry and watched as she suddenly tried to sink lower in her seat. He frowned at her confused and then arched an eyebrow at her.

"You okay?" he asked deadpan. The blonde girl didn't answer and simply nodded her head, bringing up another bite of her salad to her pink lips. Troy gave her a once over with an unbelieving look before giving up. He shook his head; the girl was a weirdo. "Alright," he mumbled and took another bite of his burger.

The teen suddenly frowned as he thought he felt ketchup spilling down on his black shirt. He placed his burger down and looked at his shirt; he let out a pissed off sigh. It looked like he had picked up some habits from his girlfriend.

"Shit," he growled, not minding that the nine year old heard him; it wasn't like she hadn't heard him swear before. He looked around the table to see that he had forgotten to bring napkins. He rolled his eyes; another Gabriella habit. He sighed. "Stay here, I'm going to go get some napkins," he mumbled to the young kid and watched her nod silently before he stood up and walked over to the Mc Donald's stand.

The teen sighed as he looked around the counter for napkins; when he didn't find them, he asked the girl handing out the orders to give him some. The girl, who couldn't be older than 19, smiled flirtatiously at him and handed him a handful of napkins. Troy, not being oblivious to what a flirty girl looked like, grabbed the napkins from her hands and rolled his eyes before turning around; it was needless to say that he was less than interested.

He immediately frowned when he saw the group of kids that had sat a couple of tables away from them a minute ago, around his table and around Terry. It didn't take him long to figure out that those kids were the reason why Terry had sunk lower into her seat; she was trying to hide from them. Those had to be her bullies.

Troy shook his head. It wasn't like he was Terry's biggest fan or that he cared about her for that matter, but he couldn't just stand there and let those idiotic kids bully her. Where were their mothers anyway? He quickly took a look around as he started making his way back to his table; it didn't take him more than two seconds to find them making their way around the food court, trying to decide what to eat.

"Aw, and look at _Nerd-erry_ eating her salad," a blonde boy, who was disturbingly familiar to Troy, laughed. "You think that will make you lose weight, Piggy?"

Troy arched an eyebrow at the back of his head, bringing a napkin up to his shirt and cleaning the ketchup stain off. Terry looked up at Troy with watery eyes, some sort of hope shinning in them, and he placed his index finger to his lips, telling her to not say anything –the kids hadn't taken note of his presence yet.

"Yeah, too late, you're too fat now!" another kid snickered. "No one can lose that much fat!"

"How can you walk with your ham legs, Nerd?" the blonde boy asked again, making the other 5 kids with him laugh. Troy crossed his arms and Terry kept on keeping quiet. He frowned; Terry wasn't _that _fat, she was actually pretty good for a girl her age.

"What, you can't talk now? You went stupid or something?" the blonde boy continued to bother her.

"That would be a miracle!" a red-head kid snorted.

The kids began laughing again and this time Troy joined them with a sarcastic loud laugh. The kids quickly stopped laughing and they turned around to face Troy with wide eyes.

"Oh shit!" the blonde boy exclaimed, taking in Troy's tall figure and intimidating stand.

Troy continued laughing his exaggeratedly loud sarcastic laugh. He shook his finger at the kids. "Good one," he nodded in fake approval. "You guys are really good," he smirked at them. The kids stared up at him confused. "Who's the one who began with all the good insults?" he arched an eyebrow at them. Terry blinked at him confused; what was he doing?

The kids all pointed at the blonde boy in the middle. "Michael," they all chorused. The kid gulped. Troy fought the urge to roll his eyes; well, it wouldn't have been too hard to guess.

"Mmm," the teen nodded. "I see. So Michael here began picking on Terry and you all guys decided to follow his example," he stated. The kids kept quiet. "Yeah, like a bunch of little sheep who can't think on their own and need someone to tell them what to do," he nodded. Terry let out a small giggle. "Let me take a wild guess," Troy continued, seeing that they weren't going to speak up very soon. "You saw that she was smart, that she wore glasses and that she wasn't as thin as the other girls. The perfect bullying target, am I right?" he questioned. He placed a thoughtful finger to his chin and let out a sigh. He looked at the kids up and down. "Ah, but look at that," he smirked. "Ginger without a soul," he pointed at the red-head kid. "Rabbit teeth," he pointed at another kid. "Pig nose. Frog eyes. Curly constipated fuck," he continued to point and then left the Michael kid at the end. He gave him a mean smirk, arching a dangerous eyebrow. He heard him gulp. "And you're just a little faggot who acts like the big shit until the authority shows up. Then you just turn into a Cry Baby," his smirk grew wider as he saw the kid's eyes become watery.

Troy let out a sigh. "Walk away," he ordered them with a move of his head, but before any of the kids could move, another voice was heard.

"Messing with my brother, are we Bolton?" Troy looked at his right and arched an impassive eyebrow as he saw Austin Hobbs walking over to them with a glare on his face. So that was the reason why the Michael kid looked so familiar. What were the odds of running into that asshole in here?

Troy let out an amused chuckle as he looked down at Michael. "Should've guessed you were brother of that imbecile," he said. Terry's eyes went wide and Michael glared up at Troy. Troy turned to look at Austin.

"Yeah, well you should really tell him to not be picking on my step-sister," Troy answered deadpan. "Then maybe I wouldn't have to make him cry."

"I'm not crying!" Michael screeched.

"Sure," Troy nodded sarcastically, not really looking down at the kid.

"Leave him alone, Bolton," Austin growled at him in warning. "Mess with someone your own size."

Troy stared seriously back at him before he couldn't take it anymore. He let out a snort and an amused chuckle. Austin glared at him. Troy shook his head and arched an eyebrow at him. After kicking his ass so many times before, he could no longer take this guy seriously. He let out a sigh and turned to look at Terry.

"Let's go, kid," he made a move with his head and Terry nodded, hopping off her chair. Troy started walking and placed a hand on the girl's back to keep her from falling behind, but before he could reach the entrance of the Food Court, Austin yelled out a stupid commentary that he knew Troy wouldn't be able to just ignore.

"Say 'hi' to Gabriella for me," the jackass had yelled after him. "That, of course, if her lunatic father hasn't killed her yet!"

Neither did Troy nor Chad knew how the word had spread around East High, but by the end of October everyone in school had heard about what had happened to the brunette. Luckily for Troy, everyone was still afraid of him to approach him and ask him about it, and they also avoided mentioning her when he was around; Chad didn't run with the same luck, though. But, of course, he would simply ignore the person and walk away.

Troy stopped on his tracks and his hands went into fists almost immediately. Terry looked up at him with worry as she saw his eyes darken. The guy would never learn, would he?

"Luckily I didn't fuck that fucked up bitch," he continued to yell. "What if she went as nuts as her father?"

"Troy?" Terry's eyes went wide once again as she watched her soon-to-be step-brother turn back around and stalk his way over to Austin. The green-eyed teen smirked big and opened his mouth to continue inciting Troy. He couldn't even voice out the first vocal when Troy, without giving him a warning first, punched him on the face one, two, three times and then watched him fall on his back. Austin held on his jaw, a disorientated look on his face. Gasps were emitted around them, but Troy ignored them.

And just like he had before, he spun on his heel and walked back towards Terry, not taking a double look at Austin or the group of kids. Without looking at her, Troy placed a hand on her back and right as they walked out the door, he could hear the mothers of the group screeching over what had happened to Austin.

The asshole looked for it.

* * *

><p>"<em>We're moving," when Troy heard those words coming out of Tom's mouth, he immediately thought he was joking. Gabriella had barely been discharged from the hospital three weeks ago, she was barely starting to get used to her life again; Tom couldn't take her away just like that.<em>

_Troy shook his head. "What?" he frowned. "You're… you're kidding, right?"_

_Tom sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Troy," he started off, staring at the teen dead in the eye. "I know you've noticed. Gabriella's not doing well." _

"_Tom, she's barely getting back on track, you just can't-." _

"_Listen to me, kid," he frowned at Troy, raising his hand up. He sighed. "I've got a job offer back in L.A," he told him. "A good job with a good pay and a good medical insurance that covers my dad's sickness," he explained. "They're offering me a place for my dad in the best Psychiatric Hospital in L.A; it's a hell of an opportunity. I would be a fool to decline it."_

_Troy continued to stare at him with a frown. "And what does that have to do with Gabriella? How's that better for her?" _

"_You're not the one to listen to her cry at nights, Troy," Tom frowned back at him, shaking his head. "Even when she won't say anything, even when she denies it, she blames herself for what happened. She thinks she was the one to trigger that schizophrenic episode. Maybe she knows she shouldn't but… Gabriella, being Gabriella… she can't help it," he said. "Everything in this house, in this place just reminds her of dad and the incident. She has nightmares about it, Troy. Almost every night she wakes up screaming and then she cries until I get her to go back to sleep," the young man sighed, rubbing his face with his hand; a sign of exhaustion. "The only moment when I can see her truly better is when she's out of the house, away from everything that reminds her of what happened." _

_Troy sighed, not liking that he actually understood his reasoning. "Tom, I know where you're coming from but…" he trailed off. "I just don't think it's the right thing to do." _

"_Kid, I know you don't want her to move away," Tom stated. "I know you care about her, but because you do, you have got to understand that maybe getting a fresh start is what's best of her. Somewhere where she can assimilate everything at her own pace, without feeling overwhelmed every time she walks into one room; somewhere where she isn't constantly reminded that her father almost choked her to death," he said. _

"_You just can't keep her from facing her problems, Tom," Troy continued to counter him. _

"_Maybe's not the healthiest thing to do, taking her away from everything," Tom agreed. "But what will be the cost afterwards? Her going insane because she can't handle the guilt or because she keeps constantly reliving my father choking her in his studio?"_

_Troy remained quiet. _

"_Well I'm not going to let it get that far," Tom said. "If I take the job, I won't only be able to pay for my dad's hospital treatment, but for Gabriella's therapy as well, Troy." _

_Troy's furrowed his brow and let out a quiet sigh. For as much as he hated to admit it, maybe Tom was right. Perhaps it would be better for Gabriella to go to L.A with her brother and start over in a clean and healthy environment, somewhere where she can feel less overwhelmed by it all. The brunette could try to feign that she was okay, but Troy knew her better than that. _

"_I have to go," Tom suddenly stood up from the couch with a sigh. "I have to meet Diana. Gabriella must be already out of the shower and changing. Bring her back no later than 10, okay?"_

_Troy nodded._

"_And don't tell her anything about this," he said. "She still doesn't know."_

"_Alright," Troy sighed, but before Tom could leave the living room, the teen regained his attention. "Tom, please just… just be sure." _

_Tom turned back to him and looked at him in the eyes. "I am sure, Troy," he told him, feeling slightly guilty by the heart-broken look in his sister's boyfriend's eyes. Troy sighed and nodded; it was fair enough. _

_When Troy heard Tom close the door behind him, he remained seated for a while, taking his time to pull himself together, before he stood up from the couch made his way upstairs to Gabriella's room. At first he didn't hear the shower running as he knocked on the door of the brunette's room, but after two seconds, seeing that she wasn't opening up, he finally heard the water of the shower still running from the bathroom behind him._

_Troy frowned slightly as he turned around. Was she still in the shower? How long had it been? Thirty minutes? He walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door. She usually just took a maximum of 10 minutes, and that was when she took a long shower; or so she said so. _

"_Cupcake?" he called from behind the door. He waited a couple of seconds and didn't hear her reply. His frown deepened and he knocked on the door again. "Gab?" he tried again, but still no answer. _

_The teen began worrying, so he grabbed the doorknob and twisted it open, thanking that it wasn't locked. He was immediately greeted by a cloud of hot steam on his face and he scrunched up his nose. Holy shit! How hot did Gabriella take her showers? It seemed like a sauna in there. _

"_Gab?" he called softly, leaving the door open so some of the steam would get out, cooling out the room and allowing him to see better. The brunette still didn't answer. Troy's frown deepened as he walked over to the shower. Without thinking twice, mostly because his mind was already racing with worry, he pulled the curtain open. _

_Troy blinked bewildered and his cheeks went slightly red as he looked down at the floor of the shower. He quickly diverted his gaze. Gabriella sat in a corner, still fully naked, wrapped up in a ball with her cheek resting on her folded arms. The 18 year old boy took a couple of seconds to recover from the unexpected sight, mostly because he had never seen Gabriella naked before. He blinked a couple more times and took in a breath before taking his shoes off, deciding to climb in with her. He needed to get her out of there. He turned off the water and then carefully climbed into the shower, trying not to startle his naked, fragile-looking girlfriend. _

"_Gab," he said her name softly, kneeling down slowly on the wet floor next to her. The brunette looked up from her arms and somehow she didn't seem surprised to see him there, or self-conscious, for that matter, since she had never been naked in front of him before. Instead, her eyes remained impassive and glassy, like if she had been crying. _

_Troy sighed, his frown deepening a little bit more as his worry grew. "Damn, Gab," he breathed out, switching his position so he was sitting next to her, getting his butt completely wet, thing which he couldn't care less about at the moment. Carefully he wrapped his arms around her naked shoulders, hoping that she wouldn't jerk away. He let out a relieved breath when she immediately cuddled up to him, resting her head on his shoulder. _

"_I slipped," the brunette murmured softly as Troy rubbed her wet shoulder. The blue eyed boy let out a quiet sigh. _Lie_. _

_He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I know you didn't, Cupcake" he mumbled against her skin, hugging her closer to him. _

* * *

><p>After that, Troy realized that he would have to let her go. He knew that if Gabriella remained in that house she would have a hard time recovering. He needed to let go of her, he needed to stop thinking about himself and make what was right for her; he needed to grow up and stop crying about how life was so cruel to him. Gabriella was his main priority.<p>

So that's what he did.

Gabriella had gone to school only a couple of weeks before she moved to L.A by the end of November, three weeks after her birthday. Troy missed her like crazy, but he knew that that was the best for her.

It was around 9 when Troy finally pulled into his driveway after taking Terry for an ice-cream. He kind of felt guilty over that fact that after he almost knocked Austin out, Terry went in a little bit of shock; well… she was actually scared to death at the teen's aggressiveness. So to help her calm down, Troy decided to take her to the Ice-cream parlor where he usually took Gabriella. That didn't make them friends though; he just didn't want to be a complete asshole to the kid.

"Where, the hell, have you two been?" the two almost step-siblings were met by Jack's angry voice as they stepped into the living room. Terry jumped startled while Troy only rolled his eyes and stared at his father with a bored look.

"Bonding, remember?" Troy immediately mocked him with a raised eyebrow, making the older man glare at him. "Isn't that what you wanted us to do?"

"Watch the tone, Troy," Jack warned him. "I told you to take her out to dinner; you two should've been back an hour ago! Do you know how worried Lydia's been?"

Troy looked around the living room before posing his eyes back on Jack. "Apparently not enough to be here," the teen commented and then fought the urge to smirk when Jack's eyes burned with anger. He always enjoyed getting under his skin.

"She can't get out of the office, Troy," Jack narrowed his eyes at him. "She asked me to leave early to check on you two since apparently you aren't capable of picking up your fucking phone!" he yelled at him. "You could've called her to tell her that you were going to take longer than expected!"

Troy arched an eyebrow at him and nodded his head. It wasn't that hard to guess that he was actually angry because he had to leave unresolved business at his work. "My bad," he shrugged.

"Don't act all insolent on me, Troy Alexander," Jack hissed. "I'm not in the fucking mood and I won't hesitate to break your nose!"

The teen rolled his eyes. "Would you relax, Jack?" he said. "We're here and the kid's fine! So call Lydia and tell her that I just took her daughter to the ice-cream parlor after dinner," Troy turned around to make his way to his room, but Jack grabbed him by the arm and yanked him back.

"Don't turn your back on me when I'm talking to you, Troy Alexander!" he hissed, bringing him close enough so their noses were almost touching. Troy's heart stopped beating for a second as he saw the anger in Jack's eyes, but as he remembered that that was exactly the way how he had dared to touch Gabriella, he couldn't help but glare at his father and yank his arm out of his grip.

"Don't touch me," the teen hissed back in his face, pushing him back. He had never dared to do that before. Jack stared at him shocked for a second before he narrowed his eyes at his son, his hands turning into fists. Troy held his stare, anger beginning to boil up in his veins as well. Jack gave him a daring look before he raised his hand up to slap him, Troy ready to block him.

"No!" Terry suddenly yelled, her usually quiet voice rising to a certain note that Troy didn't think was possible. Her yell made Jack's hand stop on its track. "Don't hit him!" the girl shook her head, fear evident in her face. "No more!"

When Annie heard the child's yell, she almost dropped the plate that she was accommodating in one of the cupboards and made her jump startled. She quickly closed the cupboard and made her way to the kitchen door, opening it enough so she could stick her head out the door. Before she knew it, the maids were joining her; apparently they had also heard Terry's scream and wanted to know what was going on.

Annie immediately got worried when she saw Troy and Jack yet again in another fight. She got even more worried when she saw Jack drop his hand and turn to look at Terry.

Jack turned to look at the child with even more anger, not guilt like many other people would. He wasn't a rational man, and much less when he was in the middle of a fight with his son. Terry's eyes suddenly went wide as she looked the way Jack was looking at her. He had always looked at her with tenderness and now it looked like he wanted to kill her.

"Don't you raise your voice at me, you little-!" he began yelling at her, taking a couple of steps in her direction while his hand rose dangerously. Troy acted quicker and he stepped in the middle of them, pushing Jack back before he could get any closer to the kid and punching him in the face.

Terry gasped. Annie covered her mouth with her hand and the maids gaped at the scene that had just developed in front of them. Had Troy just punched Jack in the face?

Troy was breathing heavily as he saw Jack pass his thumb across his cut lip, wiping the blood away. The teen was very well aware of what he had done and the only thing he could think about is that he should have done that from the first moment he found out what Jack had done to Gabriella; so no, the punch wasn't only to protect the kid, but it was also for the way Jack had treated his girlfriend. Jack looked up at him with a grim look, which Troy quickly returned.

"I should've done that a long time ago," the teen shook his head; the feeling was just too good. "She's not your child, Jack," Troy growled at him with gritted teeth. "So don't you dare touch her."

Jack glared at him as he straightened up, his eyes the same shade of navy blue as Troy's. He breathed heavily through widened nostrils. "I want you out of this house, right now," he hissed at his son. He wasn't going to take Troy punching him. Annie's eyes went wide and even though Troy wouldn't admit it, he felt his stomach tighten sickly. Terry and the maids stared at Jack, shocked. "Pack your stuff; I won't have you for another night. I'll give you two hours; take your car, take your bike. I don't want anything of yours here. It's not my problem if you don't have a place to stay. You can sleep in the streets for all I care!" he growled.

Troy narrowed his eyes at him, but before he could say anything to him, Annie suddenly spoke up. No, she wasn't going to let Jack bully Troy anymore. "He won't have to," she pushed the kitchen door further open, making the two men and Terry turn to look at her, taken aback. She marched over to the two Bolton's, a frown on her face as she stepped between them, facing Jack. "He'll be staying with me! And I'm glad to finally be able to take him away from here!" she poked him on the chest forcefully, Jack looking at her too shocked to do something about it. "You have treated your son like shit ever since his mother died! And I've had to endure with the crap you've put him through for 11 years, biting my tongue to prevent myself from calling you an asshole and much more worse names, _Mr. Bolton_!" she said his name with certain disdain. "But today I won't; because if you kick your son out of this house, then I have no more reasons to stay here," she shook her head. "I quit!" she yelled at him. "So you, dictator of shit, can go fuck yourself in hell, since that's where you belong!" she took off her apron and pushed it into her ex-boss's chest, who was staring at her, speechless.

The cook turned to look at Troy, who was also staring at her shocked. "Let's go pack your stuff, Troy," she grabbed him by his arm and led him towards the stairs. Terry followed behind, deciding that it would be smart to stay near Troy in case Jack got aggressive again and decided to take his anger out on her. In two hours her mother would be already back home and she would be safe; Jack wouldn't dare to raise a hand to her in front of her mother.

Jack stared at the stairs, holding Annie's apron; he was just too shocked to react. He just couldn't wrap his head around the idea that Annie had just talked to him like that. If he wasn't so shocked he would have probably reacted the way he had towards Terry. Suddenly Nicole and Isabelle appeared in front of him, placing their own aprons in his hand, wordlessly telling him that they quitted as well and then quickly making their way up the stairs after Annie and Troy, going small under Jack's penetrating gaze.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**HOLY SHIT 11,424 WORDS?! *sings* this girl is on fire! This girl is on fire! (8) hahah okay no .-. **

**A little too long, but well, everything went according to plan; it wasn't exactly 100% what I wanted, but I thought it was okay. I hope you guys have enjoyed it. There's still a few things I need to explain like how Gabriella reacted after she found out she was moving away, and stuff. Next chapter will be kind of long as well, but yes, there were some things I need to clear out.**

**LoL, I bet I had you guys thinking I killed Gabriella at the beginning of the chapter, didn't I? Haha, but come on! You know I'm not that cruel! Actually, in the original idea, I was going to kill Greg, but I just couldn't. I'm not ready for the big leagues! D: When I publish my first book, I'll have to kill characters! Hahaha. But this is a fanfic! LoL. **

**Did you guys catch the reason for the story's title? "You're the reason why I keep holding on." ? (No? .-. Okay.) I tried to make it a little more obvious, but it just sounded too stupid xD **

**And did you see the reason why I needed her to have her heart-locket back?**

**Only one more chapter and the Epilogue before this story is finally over. Stay tuned, hope to have next chapter up by the end of this week or the other. **

**Don't forget to leave a review behind! **

**SORRY FOR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING MISTAKES!**

**Lots of love,**

**Mary. **


	27. The missing piece

I'm holding on for you

_Chapter twenty-six _

**Final Chapter guys! But let's not cry yet, we still have an Epilogue to read! ;) **

**REMINDERS:**

**Tom's fiancée, Diana, left him when he moved from L.A to Albuquerque to help his dad and Gabriella, and that's the reason why Gabriella hates her. **

**Jack almost hit Terry but Troy stopped him, punched him and got himself kicked out of his house. Annie stood up for him, so did the maids (Nicole and Isabelle). **

**Troy started playing basketball again as he resumed his friendship with Chad.**

**Gabby, well, I bet you all remember what happened to her and that she had to move away to L.A when her brother got an amazing offer to help her and their dad to get better.**

**Uh… that's about it. If I missed anything, I'm sorry, I'm sleepy xD **

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**! **

* * *

><p>"IF YOU DARE TO TOUCH MY DAUGHTER AGAIN, JACK, I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL KILL YOU!" Terry heard her mother yell at Jack from the top of the stairs, her already packed suitcases sitting next to her. She was waiting patiently until her mother called her to leave.<p>

"Lydia, you have to understand! I never touched Theresa!" Jack exclaimed desperately, trying too hard to convince his fiancée in Terry's opinion.

"Of course you didn't," Lydia narrowed her eyes at her soon to be ex-fiancé. "If it hadn't been for your son!" she yelled.

"Lydia, please! You have to believe me! I-," the man continued to try.

"No, Jack! I don't really want to hear your excuses!" the blonde woman shook her head. "I think I trust my daughter's word more than yours! She wouldn't dare to lie about something as big as this! And now that I think about it, maybe your son isn't that much of a liar either, or a 'jerk-with-no-moral' as you like to call him; he had the guts to stand up to you to protect my daughter. He's a good boy, Jack! I've always been able to see it, even through his bad-boy façade! Why can't you?" she shook her head. "For God's sake, Jack, I don't think you even love him! You kicked him out for protecting my daughter. How could you do that?"

"He punched me!" Jack exclaimed childishly. "And I do love him, but he just can't disrespect me like that! He has to learn!"

"Learn what exactly, Jack?" the woman crossed her arms. "He punched you as a desperate try to keep you away from Terry! How can he show you any kind of respect when you treat him like he's garbage? What you do is not discipline, Jack! How long have you been hitting him?"

Jack stayed quiet.

Lydia nodded. "Yeah, that's what I thought," she shook her head, taking off her engagement ring. "After all I'm glad he's now away from you," she placed the ring on the coffee table. "I'm sorry, but for as much as I care about you Jack, my daughter comes first; and I just can't let you be near her. That's what being a parent is about. You should learn that before it's too late," she made a pause. "If it isn't already."

"Lydia…"

She shook her head. "I'm going to go see your son," she said. "To see if he needs anything."

"Lydia! You can't-," he tried.

"Oh, I can and I will," she cut him off, firmly. "Who's going to stop me? You?" she gave him a stern look, making Jack blink at her surprised. He guessed that what they said about women turning into lionesses when it came to their children was true. And boy, Jack felt like a dead zebra at the moment. The woman sighed. "Goodbye, Jack."

* * *

><p><em>September, 2013<em>

Troy sighed exasperatedly, rolling his eyes as he rubbed Annie's back as she clung to him in one last goodbye hug. He looked up at Lucas, who was holding his one year old daughter in his arms, with a 'please help me' look, but Lucas simply shrugged; both of them knew that he couldn't do much. After all, Troy was leaving for college and Annie wouldn't get to see him again until Christmas. He turned to look at Nicole and Isabelle, who had gone over to say their goodbyes as well, and he knew that they weren't going to be of too much help either since they were in their own little battle against tears.

The cook was so proud of him. After leaving his father's house, Troy knew that he would no longer count with Jack's money for college (one of the many reasons why he had endured so long in that house); he wasn't oblivious to that. So instead of just forfeiting college, the teen thought about his options.

Somehow, after leaving Jack's house, Troy felt oddly free. For the first time, after Gabriella left, he felt like things were finally beginning to fall into place. So no, he didn't know if he would be able to pay for college, but he guessed that he could either try to earn a scholarship or start working. If Gabriella could juggle school and two jobs, why couldn't he? He could pour coffee and make flower arrangements.

So in the next few months that's what he did. He got a job at Savannah's Flower Shop where he first met Gabriella. He knew it was going to be hard, but for some reason, he was determined to work in that place. He wanted to be in a place that reminded him of how strong Gabriella had been and that he wanted to be as strong as she had been; even if that place also reminded him that she was miles away in L.A. After the first two months he finally got used to the place and began smiling instead of getting the usual knot in his throat each time he remembered the day he met Gabriella. He realized that he didn't want to forget her, so why avoid the places that reminded him of her?

He also talked to the school's counselor and saw that if he got all A's that semester and got a good score on his SAT's he could still be able to apply for a scholarship in any college he wanted. He wasn't worried about the SAT's –Troy was pretty smart–, he was more worried about the fact that he wasn't exactly… responsible with homework and projects. Luckily, Chad was there to help him out, the basketball captain also having to concentrate on his grades if he wanted to earn a basketball scholarship.

What Troy wasn't expecting was that by the last game of the season, which happened to be the championship finale, one of the college scouts posed his eyes not only on Chad but on him as well. When the game ended, the Wildcats winning by 7 points, the guy walked up to the two teens, giving each a card. Troy and Chad were both wanted to play college ball for the UCLA's Bruins. Chad got more offers, of course, but at the end he decided to join his friend in UCLA.

Troy was ecstatic. He knew he was good at the game, but not in a million years he would have thought that a college scout would be interested in him. The kid had barely started to play again until that year. Up until that day, Troy still couldn't believe he was going to play college ball. Like he once told Gabriella, he thought that that was a long lost dream.

What excited him the most was the place that the school was at.

Before he got the offer, the only thing he was sure about was that he would apply for every school that was in California, but more specifically, in L.A. No matter what, he was determined to go look for Gabriella. He knew that as long as Gabriella's father was still in treatment, the brunette wouldn't want to be too far away from him. She had to enroll in a Californian university; and knowing how stubborn his love could be, he knew that she would want to enter a school that was in L.A.

But of course, he didn't know her plans since he… hadn't exactly kept in touch like he had promised. The only reason why he knew that Gabriella's father was still in treatment was because of Chad, who called her every now and then to know how she was doing. He also knew that she was extremely mad at him. Troy couldn't blame her really. The day they said goodbye he had promised to call her at least once a week. And when he hadn't, he didn't pick up his phone when Gabriella started calling him herself.

He simply couldn't keep his promise. It was just too painful; not only for him, but for Gabriella as well. He couldn't stand the fact that as soon as he hung up the phone, he wouldn't see her face the next day in school, or that he wouldn't be able to hold her if she needed to be held. The teen knew that he was probably being too selfish or perhaps too stupid, but he couldn't help but feel that way. He knew that when he found Gabriella, he would have to take every yell, slap, punch, hair pull and kick that she would surely throw at him, silently and willingly. He knew he deserved it. And he knew it would be worth it when she forgave him. Call him cocky, but he knew she would.

"Annie," Troy finally spoke up after a while, trying to push his cook away. "Annie, I still have to pick up Chad."

"I know," she murmured. "I just…" she sighed, finally pulling away from their tight embrace and placing her hands on either sides of the teen's face. She looked at him and felt her eyes well up with tears. "It's the first time in almost 12 years that I won't see you every day," the 35 year old woman said, her voice breaking at the end. "To me, you're still my little 7 year old cocky boy that I met in those Sponge Bob pajamas and asked me if they had dropped me on the head when I was little."

Troy sighed and his gaze softened a little, a small chuckle escaping his lips as he remembered the first day he met Annie. He looked at her watery eyes and brought her in for another hug. He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Annie," he told her and heard her let out a tiny whimper against his shirt. "And I'll miss seeing you every day too. You're my best friend," he rubbed her back. "I'll definitely miss your Mac n' Cheese," he then tried to joke after a couple of seconds of silence.

Annie let out a quiet giggle and pulled back from the teen. She wiped away her tears. "Yeah, I think that worries me the most," she smiled a sad smile. "I don't know what the hell you're going to get into your system now that I won't be around to check on what you eat."

Troy rolled his eyes. "I'll eat healthy, Annette; I need to be in good shape for the basketball season."

"Right," she nodded, still smiling sadly at him. She sniffled. "Call me when you get to the hotel, okay? And call me again tomorrow when you finally get to your apartment."

Troy nodded his head and gave her one last hug before he turned to Lucas. The doctor shook his hand and gave him a manly hug, careful not to crush Alexandra in his arms, and wished him good luck. He patted Mike's and Lilly's head and then turned to Nicole and Isabelle, giving them each a hug as well. He then looked up at the house one last time. Lucas and Annie had adapted the attic long before Troy left his father's house as a guest's room, which later became Troy's room in the past 7 and a half months. He honestly liked it. He had his privacy and it was pretty cozy. He had a mahogany desk, a queen-sized bed, a small TV and, of course, a closet. It was a little bit smaller than his old room, but he liked it much better.

The teen waved at the Sanders one last time before he drove off in his black Audi A8. Annie would have his motorcycle shipped by the end of that week.

At first, Troy had thought about selling his bike to make a little more money for college, but he simply couldn't, not while he still got Gabriella's 'cupcake' helmet. He just didn't feel like he would be able to sell it. Then he thought about selling his Audi instead (after all, Jack had bought it under Troy's name), but later that week, way before he got the scholarship to play for UCLA's Bruins, he got a letter from his father. Troy's immediate reaction was to throw it away, but after Chad convinced him not to, telling him to at least give him the benefit of the doubt, Troy opened it. He also thought that that was what Gabriella would do.

_Dear Son, _

_These are your college funds. It's the least I could do. Good luck in college. _

_I'm sorry._

_Love,_

_Jack. _

And along with the letter there was a check signed with a large amount of money. Troy's eyes had gone wide with the exaggerated amount of zeros that were on the check. Jack had always told him that he was worthless and that he wouldn't manage to accomplish anything in his life, so it was a big shocker for the teen to see that his father had actually saved up money for his studies.

Troy re-read the letter a couple of times after getting over his initial shock. He noticed that he had signed with 'Jack' instead of 'Your father' or something like that, which Troy found really odd since Jack had always insisted Troy to call him 'dad'. The phrase 'It's the least I could do' also caught his attention. Troy was well aware that paying for his studies was the least thing he could do; not that he could ever make it up to Troy for all those years he made him feel less than garbage. What confused him was the fact that Jack apparently understood that as well. Did any of it have to do with what Lydia said to Jack the night she left him?

The morning after Troy moved into Annie's house, Lydia had showed up at the door with Terry by her side. She told him that she had planned to see him the night before but she decided to wait until morning, seeing that that was the prudent thing to do.

"_I just wanted to thank you," the woman had expressed, smiling kindly at the teen. "For what you did for my daughter."_

_Troy let out quiet sigh, shaking his head at his father's ex-fiancée. "You don't need to thank me, Lydia. All I did was what any other person would have done. Terry's a good kid." _

_Lydia smiled. "I still feel like I need to thank you. I was stupid enough to not have noticed who Jack truly was, before. You defended my daughter and showed me that I was making a mistake by marrying your father," she said. "I owe you, Troy. So if you need anything, no matter how small or big it is, don't hesitate to ask for my help." _

"_Uhm, okay, uh," Troy hesitated, not knowing what to say; he hadn't expected that at all. "Thank you." _

"_Thank _you_," she smiled. She offered him her hand as a friendly gesture and Troy took it awkwardly, shaking it lightly. "See you around, Troy." _

_Troy gave her a curt nod and Lydia dropped her hand before turning around. Terry smiled and waved at Troy before she followed her mother back to their car. But before the thirty-something woman could take out her car keys from her purse, Troy jogged down the porch and up to her. _

"_Uh, Lydia?" he called out, making the woman look up from her purse and turn to look at him with surprised eyes. "Uhm," he scratched his head. "Now that you mention it…" he started off a little hesitant. "I was wondering if I could babysit Terry the days you're too busy. I, uh… since Jack isn't exactly going to pay for my studies anymore, I need to earn some money myself." _

_Lydia blinked at him for a second before she gave him a bright smile. "That'd be great!" _

Troy sighed. He didn't know what had exactly come over him when he ran after her to ask that, but it didn't matter; he knew he had to earn money somehow and babysitting Terry wouldn't be a hard job –the kid was quiet and easy to handle.

Of course, after Troy got that scholarship, his father's money and all the money he had made working in the flower shop and babysitting Terry once or twice a week went directly to a bank account, which later would pay for half the apartment that he had bought with Chad. And yet, there was still enough money to pay two years of college if Troy lost the scholarship, which he didn't plan on doing.

At first Troy thought that renting an apartment would have been better, since they weren't going to live there forever, but after reckoning over how much money it would have been each month (counting gas, water, phone and light bills), plus groceries and stuff, the teens came to the conclusion that they would spend more money in those four years renting than if they bought an apartment. Or at least with the two apartments that they had in mind.

They didn't want a dorm in campus either, basically because it was less likely that they would get partnered up to share and, well, Troy wasn't exactly very social.

Before Troy went to pick Chad up, he made a quick stop at the graveyard. No he wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye to his mother. The 18 year old boy let out a slow breath and turned off the engine before he got out of the car. He made his way up the familiar path and stopped in front of the gray-ish gravestone. _Lucille Joan Bolton 1964-2001._ He small smiled at the stone and sat down on the grass.

"Hey momma," he greeted her, eyeing the still fresh red tulips that he had placed in the vase the day before. "I know I usually don't come two days in a row, but I couldn't leave for college without saying goodbye to you first. I mean, I won't visit again until Winter break. It's going to be weird not buying you flowers every week, you know?" he said and then sighed. "But, I just want you to know that even though I won't be able to come and replace your flowers, I'll still think of you every day," he smiled a soft smile, placing his hand on the stone. "Like I always do. That isn't going to change."

There was a small moment of silence, the chilly air blowing and messing with his now short hair. Gabriella always wanted him to cut his hair, didn't she? Shorter on the sides and longer on top? Troy looked up at the stone and smiled. "Yeah, Gabriella's in L.A," he told the stone. "I'm gonna go looking for her. It's time, momma. She's going to be pissed, but I don't care. I'm just glad that things are going in my favor; something that has never happened before she came and then left," he bent his knees up. "And even though I'm happy now with how things have turned out… I still feel like something's missing, you know? I mean, I graduated high school, I got a basketball scholarship, I left Jack's house, I rebuilt my friendship with Chad, I've got a real home with Annie and her family, and…I don't feel lonely anymore," he paused. "And yet, I still feel like I need Gabriella. Does that make any sense?" he questioned his mother. "I mean, without her… everything lacks…life. When I laugh or smile… I feel like I'm not doing it honestly; well, maybe yes, but not _completely_."

"I've thought about it in these past few months –she's the reason why my life is the way it is now. And no, I'm not exaggerating, Ma. She managed to break down my walls, she gave me an opportunity to believe I could have a normal life, she showed me what real strength is all about, and she helped me see that what Jack told me about you wasn't true. If it wasn't for her, I don't think I would have had the courage to punch Jack in the face, trying to defend Terry, or then keep it together when he kicked me out –if she could fight her battles, then why couldn't I fight mine, right?" he looked down at his hands for a second before looking back up. "She was even the reason why I began talking to Chad again, which made me start playing basketball again. Damn, she even got me crying," he chuckled and rubbed his face with an ironic grin. He sighed.

"When she was in a coma, I didn't really know what would become of me if she died," he paused. "I was only holding on for her, you know? She became the reason why I wanted to wake up every day. If she…if she had left… then I honestly think that I would have let myself go. Not even Annie would have been able to pull me back up. I know I'm only 18, mom, but…" he shrugged. "That's how I feel. And that's the reason why I have the need to go looking for her. Maybe I would be able to go on without her, knowing that she's okay… but I choose not to. I don't want to."

Troy remained quiet for a moment. Looking at the stone like he always did, he waited for some kind of response. But like always, it never came. He smiled and then felt his phone vibrate in his front pocket. He frowned and then took it out.

_Dude, it's almost 9, where the fuck are you? –Chad. _

Troy rolled his eyes and stood up, ignoring Chad's text. He sighed and placed his hand over the gravestone. "I gotta go, mom," he said. "I'll see you in a few months, okay?" he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the stone. "I love you. And thanks for listening."

The teen looked at his mother's grave one last time and smiled. He turned around and made his way back to his car. He turned on the engine and then drove off. When he got to Chad's house, he couldn't help but take a glance at Gabriella's old house, not noticing at first that Chad had his own goodbye committee. When he did, he couldn't hold back a groan when he saw Taylor and Sharpay sitting in the front porch's swing. As far as he knew, Chad's other friend, Zeke, had left for Yale the day before, so it didn't surprise him that he wasn't there.

Troy parked in front of the house, he put his aviator shades on and then stepped out of the car. He rolled his eyes as he saw Taylor rolling hers as well and Sharpay waving happily at him; that girl just didn't understand that she wasn't his friend. Chad, who was sitting on the railing, facing his girlfriend and Sharpay, turned his head around and grinned at Troy.

"Took you long enough!" he shouted at him, hopping off the railing, jumping over one of his suitcases and making his way down the porch's steps.

"I thought I'd give you time to finish doing your hair," he retorted with a smirk and Chad glared at him.

"Ha-ha," he rolled his eyes. "Shut up," he said and then slapped Troy's hand, bumping his shoulder against his and giving him a brotherly hug. They pulled back and Chad turned around. "Mother!" he yelled out. "Troy's here!"

The two teens made their way up the front porch and Troy smirked when he saw Taylor grimacing at him with her arms crossed.

"Hey Taylor," he greeted her, his smirk growing wider when she narrowed her eyes at him.

"_Fuck off_, Bolton," she barked at him and Troy chuckled. Sharpay sighed and Chad rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe that his girlfriend was still mad at Troy for telling her to fuck off in sophomore year. Well, that was Taylor for you –proud and stubborn as a mule.

Dr. Danforth stepped out of the house, Calah by her side, and she smiled at the teen. "Troy, how are you, sweetheart?" she moved forward and gave him a tight hug before pulling back.

Troy smiled an awkward smile, still not used to Chad's mother hugging him like she used to do so when he was 7. He scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, good, Dr. Danforth. You?" he asked, taking his aviator shades off. Calah yipped at the teen and went over to greet him as well, wagging her tail happily.

She smiled a sad smile and sighed. "Considering that my baby boy's leaving for college, I think I'm doing fine," she said.

Troy smiled at her, patting Calah's head. Chad rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Don't worry, Dr. Danforth, I'll take good care of your _baby_; I'll buy him dippers and stuff," he joked, making the divorced woman laugh and Chad to punch his arm. Sharpay snorted and Taylor shook her head, trying to bite back a giggle as well.

"Ha-ha," the afro-haired guy glared at his friend. "Keep it going, Bolton! Keep it going."

Troy helped Chad put his luggage into the trunk along with his and then he blinked surprised when his friend put in a dog's bed and a chew toy in the shape of a basketball.

"What's that?" the blue eyed boy frowned at Chad.

"Calah's bed," he explained, closing the car's trunk after making sure that everything fitted. He looked up at Troy and he blinked at his confused expression. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. My mom wants me to take Calah with us."

Troy gave him an incredulous look. "Whoa, wait, what? Why?"

"Well, with my mom all day at the Hospital and with me gone, Calah's going to be alone all day and she needs to be walked and fed. My mom can't do that; sometimes she doesn't even spend the night at home, so she can't really take care of her," the boy paused, seeing Troy's frowning face. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No," Troy shook his head. "Of course not, but if she barfs in the car, you're cleaning it up! And we need to find a Hotel that lets Calah in; I'm not sleeping in the car."

"Don't worry, I already Googled one," Chad smiled. "But it'll cost us a couple more bucks."

* * *

><p><em>Two days later.<em>

Gabriella sighed as she threw her house keys over the entrance table of her apartment and placed her purse in the couch of the small living room. She missed her home in Albuquerque so much. The apartment that her brother had bought wasn't bad; it was actually pretty spacious and really nice. As you walked through the door, the kitchen was found right to the right; it was an open kitchen, which bar separated it from the dining room. And to the left, there was the living room with an electric chimney right in the center. At the back there was a small hallway that led to three rooms and a bathroom. Gabriella's room was the second door at the right.

The brunette flopped on the couch right next to her purse and let out an exhausted breath. She had just come back from her therapy and from visiting her father at the hospital. He was doing well. He looked healthier and happier; the doctors said that he could go home in a couple of months if he continued developing so well. That made Gabriella happy. According to her therapist, she was through with the post-traumatic stage and was recovering really well too. He had cut down the number of sessions per week and was now only seeing her on Friday's, which was a good thing.

Gabriella took out her cell phone from her purse to check any texts or lost calls. She had three texts and three missed calls from her friend Amy of her new high school, who had also been accepted in UCLA along with the brunette.

_Hey, girl! Guess what? I heard that there's going to be a Welcome party for new students! I don't know if it's a club or a house, but I have the address and it's pretty close from my house! Do you want to come check it out? –Amy _

_Yo, Gab! Why you not answering? Come on! It'll be fun! I know you don't like parties, but I promise that if you don't have fun, we can leave and have a slumber party in my house! We could meet cute boys! :) –Amy _

_Are you ignoring me? -Amy_

The girl rolled her eyes. She wasn't exactly in the mood for a party. She wasn't exactly into loud music, alcohol, the smell of sweat, smokers or drunken people. _Ugh, no_, Gabriella shook her head with repulsion. Maybe a lot people would call her uptight and boring, but she didn't care. Why should she do things that made her feel uncomfortable? Like Troy used to tell her –screw people and what they think.

Gabriella sighed and checked if she had any other texts and bit the inside of her cheek sadly when she saw that she didn't. She didn't know why she still continued to check even when she knew that there wouldn't be any texts or calls from him. It's been more than 10 months and the boy hadn't kept his word.

After the first week, Gabriella thought that perhaps he was busy with school or maybe something had happened to him; but after she tried calling him numerous times, growing worried with her second thought, she knew that Troy was ignoring her. At first it took her off guard, then it angered her to the point where she wanted to go back to Albuquerque just to kick him where it hurt the most, and finally, it depressed her. She cried many nights, hopelessly waiting for his call, cursing him when it didn't come and then crying some more until the sleep finally beat her.

He had told her that he would always be there for her. He had promised _one_ call a week to know how she was doing. The brunette bit her lower lip, shoving her phone back into her purse. Not only did he break his promise… but also her heart.

* * *

><p><em>Gabriella watched sadly as the doors of the moving truck closed. There were no more boxes left in the house. All they needed to do was lock the front door and leave. The brunette let out a sad sigh and she felt a light squeeze in her hand. She looked down at their interlaced hands before looking up at her impassive looking boyfriend. She knew that he was just trying to be strong for her, but inside he was hurting just as much as she was.<em>

_She didn't say anything; she just moved her hand up and pushed back the fringe that annoyed her so much, out of her boyfriend's eyes. She let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in the crook of his neck. _

_Troy wrapped his arms around her tightly, letting out a defeated sigh; he felt so helpless. He didn't know what to tell her, he didn't know how to act… he didn't know how to be there for her. All he thought he could do was hold her until Tom finished checking the house to see if they weren't leaving anything behind. He actually didn't know how he was acting so strong when on the inside he felt the exact opposite. _

"_I don't want to go," she murmured against his skin. _

"_I know," Troy breathed out, tightening his grip around her. "I know, Cupcake." _

"_I just…," she shook her head against his neck. "I don't," she rubbed his back with her thumb and heard Troy sigh. "I just…please." _

_Troy winced at the whimpering sound of her voice and struggled to find something to tell her that would soothe her, but before he could think of something he looked up as he heard the front door close. He sighed again, seeing Tom frowning guiltily at the teens. _

"_Give us a moment?" Troy asked his girlfriend's brother and watched him nod before he walked down the porch's steps. The teen bit the inside of cheek and decided to pull away from their embrace. He grabbed her by the arms and pushed her back softly, making her look up at him. He felt his heart clench as he saw her teary eyes. _

"_Gab…," the boy spoke up softly, moving one of his hands to the back of her neck. "Don't cry." _

"_How can you ask me that?" _

"_I just don't want you to cry," Troy said, pressing his forehead on hers. "I want to see you smile."_

_The brunette couldn't help but give him a disbelieving look. "And how am I supposed to do that, genius?" _

"_Because that's who you are," Troy explained, squeezing her neck tenderly and ignoring her attempt to insult him. "You smile through your problems because you're strong. You can do this, Cupcake." _

"_Well, at this moment I don't feel very strong, Troy," she countered with a murmur._

_Troy sighed and pressed a sweet peck to her lips. "Gab, I need you to get better. You'll find a way to pull yourself together, you always do." _

"_I need you to help me," she looked up at him, a tear flowing down her cheek. Troy quickly wiped it away with his thumb. He sighed._

"_What can I do all the way from here, Gab?" he asked, softly._

"_Call me?" she pleaded. "At least once a week? I just… I need to know you're there." _

"_I'll always be there, Cupcake," Troy assured her. "I love you, remember?" _

_The brunette gave him a faint smile; she always liked hearing him say he loved her. "You promise?" _

"_I promise," he assured her. _

"_And to call me at least once a week, too?" she asked. _

_Troy nodded. "And to call you at least once a week too." _

_Gabriella sighed and stepped forward to give him a hug. "I love you too," she said, making Troy smile a soft smile. They stayed hugged for a good couple of minutes, both trying to savor their last moments together. Gabriella took in a deep breath, taking in Troy's scent and trying to engrave it into her memory; it would be a long time before she got to hug him again. _

"_Hey," the brunette suddenly pulled back, remembering something. "I almost forgot," she sniffled, digging into her blue hoody's pocket._

"_What?" Troy questioned, watching her with soft curious eyes. _

_She pulled her hand out of her pocket and grabbed Troy's hand, bringing it up. "Here," she said quietly, placing her heart-locket into his hand. Troy looked down at it with a deep confused frown._

"_Gab…?" _

"_I remember you told me that the reason you had kept it so long is because you thought we would never be together and… that you wanted to have a little piece of me," she said, watching her boyfriend pass his thumb over the engraved 'G'. "Well, I want you to have it; and as long as you keep it, you can be certain that I'll always be yours." _

_Troy looked up at her, feeling his heart dropping to his stomach at her words. He shook his head, making Gabriella look at him confused as he grabbed her hand. "No, Gab," he placed the heart-locket back into her hand._

"_What? Why not?"_

"_Because I don't need it," he explained, closing her hand. "I trust your word," he gave her a faint smile. "And as long as you want me, then I don't need your heart-locket to prove me that you're mine. I'm sure of you and," he paused. "I'm sorry, but you're stuck with me until you get sick of me," he murmured._

_That last comment made Gabriella let out a small giggle; she had said something similar to him the day he told her about his mother's death. _

"_There's that smile," Troy gave her a loop-sided smile. "There's my Gabby." _

_Gabriella looked up at him and then threw her arms around his neck, letting more tears escape from her chocolate brown eyes. "I love you, Cinnamon Roll."_

"_I love you too, Cupcake." _

* * *

><p>Gabriella had to be honest; there was a moment where she doubted those last few words he said to her. But that was just her hurt heart talking. And… even though she hated to admit it, she understood. She knew Troy and knew how his thick head operated. She knew that he hadn't called because it would hurt too much; and not only for him, but for her as well. She hadn't thought about it when she had made him promise to keep in touch. She just didn't want to forget how he sounded like or the way he talked or chuckled or tried to joke around while she was away. She was so desperate for that that she didn't think about actually hearing his voice once a week. She didn't think of not being able to see him the very next day or be able to hug him or kiss him. She didn't think of how much her heart would ache after she hung up the phone. She hated to admit it, but maybe Troy had made the right choice not to call her.<p>

But that didn't mean that it hurt any less.

The brunette sighed, eyeing the heart-locket around her neck. She missed him so much.

Suddenly, she snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the door open and a giggle and a chuckle break the silence in which Gabriella had been comfortably wrapped in. She rolled her eyes as she saw her brother and her brother's fiancée, Diana, come in through the door. Ugh, she still couldn't believe that he took her back. After everything she put him through. She had practically made him choose between his family and her! The worst of all is that she was now living with them in their apartment and Gabriella had to endure with her. If she didn't like her before, after what she did to her brother, now she despised her with all her might.

Gabriella could be a total bitch when she didn't like someone.

"Hey Gab," Tom greeted her, smiling as he noticed her sitting on the couch.

"Hey bro," she smiled a soft smile at him before turning to Diana. The smile fell and she stared her down like she always did, making the older woman shift uncomfortably. "Diana," she gave her a curt nod. Luckily, she had also picked up some stuff from her boyfriend; it had helped her a lot recently. Tom immediately felt the atmosphere get dense with tension. He sighed; he knew Gabriella wasn't exactly fond of his fiancée.

"Hi, Gabriella," Diana smiled awkwardly. "Uhm… how are you? How was your day?" she tried to start up a conversation –in Gabriella's opinion, the woman tried too hard to get on her good side. Nope, she would never succeed.

"Good," she gave her a one word answer in purpose, making it difficult for Diana to continue the conversation she wanted to have. The brunette gave her a wide fake smile. Tom glared at her, but Gabriella ignored him.

"Uh, that's good," she said. "Had fun?"

"If you count going to a shrink to make you get over the fact that your father almost choked you to death and then visiting your father who was high on drugs as fun, then… yeah," she shrugged, crossing her arms.

"Gabriella!" Tom scolded her, placing a hand on Diana's back.

"What?" she asked, playing innocent.

"Uhm, it's okay, Tom," Diana placed a hand on Tom's chest as he opened his mouth to continue scolding his sister. "I'm going to take a shower, okay?"

Tom frowned at her and then sighed. He nodded. Diana smiled at him and pecked him on the lips before she made her way to their room. Gabriella rolled her eyes and when she heard the door close she started counting back from five.

5…4…3…2…1…

"Gabriella…" Tom started off just as she reached one.

"And there we go," she mumbled underneath her breath, congratulating herself silently.

"Could you please stop attacking Diana?" her brother continued, crossing his arms disgruntled. "She's trying her best to fix things! The least you could do is try to not give her a hard time!"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not attacking her," the brunette said, crossing her legs. "But I'm not going to pretend that I like her. And how am I giving her a hard time? All I'm doing is being honest."

"_Too_ honest!" Tom countered. "And it's not what you say, Gabriella, it's the way you say it! Your fucking attitude is what's making my girlfriend uncomfortable every time you two are in the same room."

"Then don't put us in the same room," Gabriella shrugged.

"Gabriella, stop it!" Tom glared at her. "I understand what you're going through but that's no reason for being rude. She's my fiancée, Gabriella; she's going to be family! And as long as she's with me, then you owe her some respect!"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at her brother. "First of all, you have no idea of what I've gone through or what I'm going through, so no, you don't really understand, Tom. And second of all, you can't make me like her or respect her. She has given me nothing to respect. She dumped your ass when you most needed her support only because she was too afraid of moving!"

"Gabriella, I couldn't make her leave her home! You-," Tom began to say.

"Oh, but you had the right to make me leave mine?"

"That's different!"

"How?" Gabriella exclaimed.

"Because it what was best for you!" Tom yelled.

"How, the hell, do you know what's best for me?" the girl hissed, standing up from the couch. "You have no idea what I feel or what I think! You have no idea what I went through! I was the one who was almost choked to death by her father, Tom! Not you! I was the one to wake up from a coma! I-."

"I WAS THERE TOO!" Tom cut her off. "For God's sake, I'm very well aware that I wasn't the one who almost got choked to death or slipped into a coma, but Gabriella, fuck, I had to watch dad almost kill you! Do you know how fucking scared I was? And then I had to see you every day hooked up to all those machines, not knowing if you were ever going to wake up! I had to comfort dad because he felt like a murderer! And the only reason why I decided to take this job was because I couldn't take waking up to your screams every night, anymore!" he yelled.

The brunette went silent.

The siblings stared at each other for a long moment, studying each other's expressions, before Gabriella looked down, crossing her arms; tears started to well up in her eyes. Tom noticed this and his gaze softened. He sighed and shook his head, deciding to approach her.

"Gabs, all I ever wanted was for you to get better. I'm trying to help," he told her, standing right in front of her. "And believe it or not, Diana's trying to help too."

His sister looked up, the first tears spilling from her eyes. "I don't want her help, Tom," she shook her head. "You're the one who's my brother, not _her_. And you've got to understand something," she paused, staring deeply into her brother's eyes. "I do understand that you had to go through your own rough patch, but you had Diana to rely on," Tom frowned. "She's your best friend, she's your partner, she's the one you go to when you have problems; you don't go to your little sister, do you? Well, it's the same for me. You took me away from _my_ Diana, Tommy," the brunette's voice broke at the end, tears continuing to flow down her cheeks. Tom stared at her, taken aback.

"I didn't have my best friend next to me; I didn't have my partner," she explained. "I wanted to stay home; I wanted to be with him. Maybe it would have taken longer for me to get better, but at the end I know I would have gotten over it because I'm strong," she sniffled, wiping her tears away. "It's not like I don't appreciate what you've done for me and dad, Tom, because I do, but don't say you understand how I feel because you don't," she shook her head, making a small pause. "Your Diana wasn't taken away from you."

Maybe Diana hadn't been exactly the best example, but she needed to tell Tom how much Troy meant to her. Diana was Tom's Troy, but… in a cheap edition.

With that last sentence, Gabriella took her purse from the couch and pushed past Tom. She didn't want to continue crying in front of her brother and honestly, she really had the urge to leave the place; she just couldn't stay there any longer. She needed to get out and get her head off of things… to get her head off of Troy.

Everything was just becoming too much for her. She missed being the old Gabriella, the one who Troy said that smiled through her problems and always looked at the bright side, the one that always found a way to pull herself together. Where was that girl now?

"Gabriella, wait! Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going to Amy's," she sniffled, taking her house keys. "Don't wait up."

* * *

><p>"Bro, you need to stop complaining," Chad rolled his eyes as Troy parked two blocks down from the house where the supposed party Chad had heard about was taking place at. "You're starting to sound like Taylor when she's on her period," Troy shot him a glare after he turned off the engine. Chad raised his hands up in defense. "You're the one who's going all girly on me about not wanting to come to the party, not me. Last time I checked, you used to crash parties in high school all the time."<p>

"Yeah well, drunken blondes were always the first ones to put out," Troy informed him and Chad gave him an odd look.

"So you went to parties only to see if you got laid?" his friend arched an eyebrow.

Troy shrugged. "Basically," he nodded, shoving his car keys into his pocket. Chad shook his head at him and Troy sighed. "But now, I have Gabriella and I haven't gone to a party ever since."

"Well, instead of looking for a drunken girl to fuck, why don't you just have a beer and be social?" Chad arched an eyebrow at him. "After all, these are going to be our classmates."

"Sure, because I'm the soul of the party," Troy said sarcastically, rolling his eyes and stepping out of the car. Chad chuckled and followed suit. The boy had a point.

Troy sighed, making his way over to the loud house. He had no idea how Chad convinced him to go, but well, he guessed that it was better than staying in his half empty apartment with no T.V to watch. They hadn't fully furnished it yet; their living room consisted of 3 plastic chairs and a carton box as a coffee table… and they didn't even have a dining room. The only thing that looked normal was their bedrooms and that was because they had brought their old stuff with them.

Entering the enormous house, Troy immediately let out an exasperated sigh as he saw an ocean of people around their age invading the living room, most of them already drunk and passed out on the floor and the staircase. He couldn't help but arch an eyebrow; it was only past 10.

"Whose house is this?" Troy asked Chad over the loud music as they began pushing their way past the ocean of people, trying to reach the kitchen.

"Have no freaking idea," Chad answered. "I told you that this dude just gave me a flier at school today after I went to sort out some papers and then disappeared. I think he was a junior or something," Troy arched an eyebrow at his comment.

"Why would a junior throw a party for freshman students?" he wondered. He didn't have to wait too long for his question to be answered –when the two friends got to the kitchen, they immediately caught sight of an older looking guy flirting with what looked like a freshman girl who was simply showing too much skin. Chad turned to look at Troy and gave him an obvious look. "Never mind," Troy nodded. They walked over to the fridge and took out a couple of beers.

An hour later, while Troy was searching for Chad, who had gone to the bathroom about fifteen minutes ago and apparently got stuck in the toiler or something, at the other side of the house a Korean girl in tight black jeans and a blue tank-top watched horrified at her friend as she chucked down the rest of her fourth beer of the night.

"Gabby, I think you've had enough," Amy commented, grabbing the Corona bottle from her friend's hand and placing it on the floor next to them.

"Psht, bullshit," Gabriella waved her off drunkenly. "You've had more beers t-than me and you're f-fine!"

"Because I know how to handle my alcohol, Genius," the girl rolled her eyes. "Remember I'm the party-beast and you're the hermit; that's why we get along so fine. Besides, I don't chuck down my beers like if they were Coke-Cola," she commented and frowned when Gabriella seemed to not be listening to her. "Well, now I see why you don't like to go to parties –four beers and you get totally hammered."

The brunette smiled at her with half-open eyes. "I w-would totally go l-lesbian for you," she slurred.

Amy arched an eyebrow at her and nodded. "Totally wasted," she sighed. "I think it's better if I get you home. Stay here, alright?" the girl ordered. "I'll go get our stuff."

"Yes, sir!" Gabriella made a soldier salute and Amy rolled her eyes before she walked away.

The brunette smirked drunkenly as she looked around the room; one more beer wouldn't hurt, right? Besides, the drunker she got the least she had to think about… all the stuff she wasn't supposed to be thinking about that night. Well, at least that sounded logical to her at the moment –and she wasn't exactly in a good state of mind. After her second beer she even forgot that she didn't like drinking.

She turned her head to see if Amy was anywhere in sight and when she saw that she wasn't, she giggled like a 5 year old toddler trying to stick her hand into the cookie jar and pushed herself off the wall.

She ignored all the people that glared in her direction as she accidentally bumped into them and simply stuck out her tongue at the girls who called her names; she was just in too much of a good mood to get into fights with people she didn't know. When she got to the kitchen, she smirked triumphantly as she saw a forgotten beer right on top of the counter.

Troy sighed annoyed at all the drunken people getting in his way as he tried to locate his friend among the crowd. Usually it would be easy to spot his afro, but apparently Chad had decided to tie it up in a ridiculous ponytail that night and give Troy a hard time. The house was just a little too big to find him easily; it actually reminded him a little of Jack's house. He let out an exasperated sigh. He hoped he hadn't hooked up with some chick; after all, even though Chad was completely loyal to Taylor, he still had a couple more beers on him than Troy.

Sending a deadly glare at a guy who almost bumped into him, Troy went to turn around, not noticing the small brunette that had just exited the kitchen with a sneaky smile and a bottle of beer in her hand.

Before he knew it, the girl's beer made a crashing sound against the floor as his arms prevented her from falling over. He blinked for a couple of seconds before his eyes narrowed. It was the last time he ever went to party with Chad. The boy opened his mouth to reproach the girl, but as soon as she turned her head around to meet his gaze, he went completely speechless.

For some reason his mind traveled to the first time he met those brown eyes and he felt the exact same nervous tingle in his stomach as she stared back at him. His heart started beating loudly against his ribs as he struggled to find something to say; he had thought so many times of what he would say to his love at the moment he found her, but now when, surprisingly, the moment had come, his mind was completely blank. It was an understatement to say that he wasn't expecting to find her there at a stupid party –the last time he checked, Gabriella despised parties with all her will, just like he did. _How ironic_, he thought.

"You m-made me drop my… beer," Gabriella slurred, frowning annoyed at the boy who was holding her.

Troy frowned as well and scrunched up his nose as the alcohol in Gabriella's breath reached his nostrils. _Holy shit!_ He thought, noticing that her lips were slightly pale and that her eyes were a little glassy. He blinked at her, bewildered. Was she drunk?

"That wasn't v-very nice," the brunette continued to say, shaking her head at him. "You n-need to go get me a new one."

"Gabriella…" he shook his head slightly. "How much did you have to drink?" Troy asked, ignoring her drunken request.

She shrugged. "Not like you care, but… one beer," she said, raising her pointer finger. "I remember I had o-one beer… a bunch of times," she giggled and Troy scrunched up his nose again, not liking her alcoholic breath. "I don't remember much…" she admitted. "W-who did you say you were, a-again?"

Troy arched an eyebrow at her. So that was why she hadn't started screaming at him yet –she couldn't even register who he was. "Gab, did someone come here with you?" he asked. "Do you have someone to take you home?"

"Yup," she nodded. "But… s-she died or something," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Why? Y-you wanna take me home, handsome?" she arched an eyebrow at Troy and he couldn't help but give her a look. "B-because if t-that's s-so, e-even though I find you extremely a-attractive for… a distortion, I have a boyfriend and I love him."

Troy frowned, his mental alarm going off at the mention of a boyfriend. "Boyfriend?"

"Yeah," the brunette turned in his arms so she was facing him. "My asshole of a boyfriend w-who hasn't called m-me in 10 months and 5 days, and lives… miles and miles and miles and miles away; but I love him… and I want to have his babies," she placed her hands on his shoulders, making Troy relax profusely –she was talking about him. That was a good sign; it meant that she still wanted to be with him even though she was mad.

"Babies, right," Troy nodded and then looked around to see if by any chance he could see Chad, thing which he didn't. He sighed; he just couldn't let Gabriella stay in the party in that condition, especially since she didn't even know where her friend was. What if her supposed friend had left? With more reason he had to get her out of there before someone took advantage of her. He would just have to come back to get Chad later; he would understand. He looked down at Gabriella and sighed. "I'm getting you out of here."

"I'm not supposed to leave with strangers," she said. "But you look like a nice guys so… okay, but d-don't expect me to put out or a-anything, honey," she warned him, raising her hands up in defense and Troy rolled his eyes.

"I'll live," he replied with sarcasm and then bent down, looping his arms around her thighs, right underneath her bum, and throwing her over his shoulder. The brunette let out a squeak and then started giggling like crazy as Troy carried her outside. It was quicker that way than trying to get her to walk when she didn't even know where her head was. He couldn't believe that she had gotten drunk.

"_La cucaracha, la cucaracha, ya no puede caminar_," the brunette began singing loudly as they exited the house and started making their way to Troy's car. Troy grimaced at her bad singing voice. "Wait, that's…just too stereotypical, considering that my dad's Mexican… and that makes me a Mexican too," she started. "So I'm going to sing… uhm what can I sing?"

"Nothing," Troy mumbled.

"Oh! I know!" she exclaimed with a giggle, ignoring Troy, and then cleared her throat. "_¡Mientes! ¡Me haces daño y luego __te arrepientes! ¡Ya no tiene caso que lo intentes!…_"

Even though Troy knew Gabriella was bilingual, he was still perplexed to hear her sing in her father's native tongue. The brunette never spoke Spanish, not even to swear when she was angry. Troy sighed, cringing a bit at Gabriella's high-pitched notes. She must be really drunk.

"Gab…" Troy patted her leg, trying to get her to stop singing. "Please-," he began to say but then stopped mid sentence as he felt her lift his black T-shirt from behind. "What are you doing?" he frowned, turning his head to a side to try to get a glimpse of her actions. He couldn't help but gasp as he felt her cold hands on the small of his back.

"You have dimples in your b-back, did y-you know that?" she asked, lifting the shirt a little higher. She giggled. "And a zit. Oh no, two," she commented with a snort. "Nice u-underwear by the way. Calvin Klein. Classy!"

Troy rolled his eyes with a sigh, but didn't say anything. He continued walking in silence, letting Gabriella play with his supposed dimples he didn't even know he had and continue singing songs in Spanish. A minute later, they finally reached Troy's car. He placed Gabriella down, placing a secure arm around her waist as he reached for his car keys. He opened the door and helped a giggling Gabriella inside his car.

"Gab, where do you live?" the boy asked, securing her seatbelt for her.

The brunette shrugged. "In an apartment."

Troy sighed. "I meant your address."

"I dunno," she shrugged again. "I-I thought you k-knew… I mean, you know my name," she frowned. "How do y-you know my name?"

The blue eyed teen couldn't help but give her a look. Until now she noticed that he was calling her by her name? He sighed again. "Alright, I'm calling Tom. Where's your cell phone?"

"In my purse," she smiled.

"And where's your purse?" he arched an eyebrow at her.

"I dunno," she giggled.

"Oh my God," he grumbled, rubbing his face and then running his fingers through his hair. He looked up at her and she grinned happily at him; was it a bad moment to think that she looked extremely cute when she was drunk? Even when her hair was a complete mess, her breath stank like alcohol and her face was slightly greasy from the party heat, he couldn't help but think that she was the most beautiful creature on Earth.

After so many months, he was just so glad to see her again. He didn't even care that she was drunk and didn't seem to realize who he was. His heart pounded loudly with joy.

"Alright…" he breathed out. He patted her leg. "I'm taking you over to my apartment, okay? I'll take you home in the morning."

"Yes, sir," she made a soldier salute like the one she had made to her friend Amy and Troy faint smiled, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

He sighed. In the morning, hell would definitely set loose.

* * *

><p>Gabriella frowned and groaned as she woke up with a pounding head the next morning. She whimpered, pressing her face against the pillow and curling into a ball. Holy Shit, what had happened the night before?<p>

She tried opening her eyes, but the light in the room made her close them again with discomfort. "No," she murmured, shaking her head. How the hell did she get home anyway?

Suddenly she felt a wet nose press against her mouth and then sniff around her face. She opened her eyes again to see a very familiar looking German Shepherd wagging her tail happily at the brunette. She blinked twice and then her eyes widened. She sat up, letting out a shriek. Calah yipped happily and climbed onto the bed.

"Calah?" the brunette exclaimed, pulling the sheets up to her chest. Calah whined, her ears up and alert as she continued wagging her tail happily.

Gabriella looked around. She didn't have a queen-sized bed or two piles of unpacked boxes next to her desk; that wasn't her room. Her eyes widened again and she immediately looked underneath the covers to check if she was dressed. She was, but… those weren't exactly her clothes. She was dressed in a dark-blue T-shirt and a pair of red basketball sweatpants. She took in a shaky breath. What was going on?

She looked at the bedside table to see a note, a glass of water and a couple of painkillers. She first took the note.

_You probably have a headache, so take these. See you in a while. _

She frowned deeper; it wasn't even signed. She looked over at the dog again. What was Chad's dog doing here? Was Chad the one who brought her here? Was this his room? Was this his clothes? Her eyes widened again; had he _changed _her into his clothes? What was he doing in L.A anyway?

"Ugh," Gabriella closed her eyes again in pain and pressed her hand to her forehead. She reached over to the bedside table and grabbed the glass of water and the painkillers and gulped them down. She placed the glass back onto the small table and took the note once again. She frowned as she studied it. No, that wasn't Chad's handwriting. It didn't look like it; it looked more like… Troy's.

She shook her head. No, that couldn't be. He was in Albuquerque, he wasn't in L.A. It couldn't be him. The brunette quickly got out of the bed and walked over to the door, which was already opened because of Calah. The dog hopped off the bed and followed the brunette.

Gabriella quickly stuck her head out of the room and looked at both sides before stepping out silently, Calah looking at her intently, as if trying to decipher why she was being so quiet. Calah whined again and Gabriella quickly shushed her, placing her pointer finger against her lips. Calah barked and Gabriella glared at her.

"You're not a very good friend, did you know that?" she hissed at her and then looked up, seeing if anyone appeared. When she saw that they didn't, she quickly thought that no one was home. She let out a quiet sigh and continued her way down the hall up to the living room, hoping to find her stuff and leave before they came back. The apartment's architecture was very similar to hers, but at the same time it was different. There were only two rooms and a bathroom instead of three, the kitchen was right next to the small hall to her right and… well, they didn't even have furniture to distinguish where their living room or dining room would go. But, judging by the three plastic chairs and the carton box to her left, she guessed that that would be the living room.

She let out another sigh; well, if they didn't have furniture, much less any pictures or any other clue to see if her suspicions were correct. She looked around, hoping to see her clothes or her purse or something. It would be good if she found her cell phone; she needed to call Tom. She grimaced; he would surely ground her after this.

She decided to look over the boxes, and as she did, she saw that they had things written on them. _Kitchen. Living room. Bathroom._ She let out a small gasp; what if the boxes in the room that she woke up in had the names that she was searching for? She hadn't even bothered to check them before exiting the room.

The brunette quickly turned to go back to the room, but before she could move, Calah began barking and whining as she ran over to the door. Gabriella's breath caught in her throat and she froze in her spot as she heard the door being unlocked.

"Seriously though," she heard Chad's distinct voice say as the door began opening, her heart beginning to pound rapidly against her chest. "Man, as soon as she wakes up and sees you, she's going to murder you. Like stab a knife in your stomach and rip your guts out and throw them into the blender kind of murder…" he trailed off as soon as his eyes caught sight of Gabriella, but the brunette wasn't exactly looking back at him. Her eyes were obviously posing on the blue eyed boy, who had frozen in his spot at the door himself, holding a bag of groceries while Chad held a hamper full of clean clothes –Gabriella's were at the top.

While Calah tried effusively to get the two boys' attention, Troy and Gabriella stared wordlessly at each other, the atmosphere in the apartment growing tenser with each passing second. Chad looked at the two of them for a moment before deciding that leaving them alone would be the wisest thing to do; he could always catch up with Gabriella later.

"So…uhm," Chad took Calah's leash from the top of one of the boxes next to the door and placed the hamper down on the same. "I'm going to take Calah out for a walk..." he announced. "Uh, so I…uhm... I'll see you guys later. Come on, girl," he quickly placed the leash on Calah's collar and got her out of there before closing the door behind him, finally leaving the two teens in their awkward atmosphere.

Gabriella studied the blue eyed teen, carefully, trying to keep a hold of her emotions before she launched herself at him to either hug him or punch him. She was surprised to see that he wasn't wearing one of his many black or dark-blue T-shirts, but the white T-shirt with red sleeves she had gotten for him over a year and a half ago. And he had gotten a haircut; the one haircut that Gabriella always thought would look good on him.

Suddenly her eyes filled up with tears as Troy stared back at her silently. She couldn't believe that he was there. He was actually there, standing only a few feet away from her; she only had to take a couple of steps and she would be able to touch him. Everything was just too much to take it all in at once. He was there; he wasn't in Albuquerque. He was there and he had gotten her out of a party that she had stupidly gone to at the spur of the moment. He was there, in L.A, even when he hadn't called or texted.

She then slipped into a mental battle with herself. It could be so easy to forgive him just like that; to act like nothing had happened and just run to him and embrace him tightly. It would be easy because it was Troy, it was _her_ Troy. They had gone through so much together to just _not_ forgive him.

But it was also because it was Troy that she couldn't forgive him just like that either. At least not that easily. She had forgiven him so many things just because she was able to understand his point of view, but… did he, at all, understand hers?

Forget all about his reasons for not calling; did he understand how she had felt, what she had thought? Did he understand how much she had needed him?

She shook her head, a couple of tears spilling from her eyes. No. If he wanted her to forgive him, he would have to earn it. He just couldn't appear from the nowhere expecting her to just throw her arms around his neck.

He wouldn't have to fight through her walls because she would never have any when it came to him, but… she just wouldn't make it that easy for him, no matter how much she loved him or how much she understood.

"Just take me home," she finally spoke up with a sniffle, diverting her gaze from his and crossing her arms. She was afraid that if she continued staring into his deep blue eyes she would change her mind, and she knew that she couldn't.

Troy couldn't help the clenching feeling in his stomach after she said those words. He had expected anything but that. He had thought that she would start yelling at him or slap him or kick him or something, but he never thought that she would simply keep quiet and ask him to take her home.

His heart pounded with fear. What did that mean?

"Gab…" he called her name softly, taking a couple of small steps forward and placing the bag of groceries in one of the plastic chairs.

Gabriella felt the hair of her nape stand up as she heard his voice, but she didn't look up; she kept her gaze down on her socks and shook her head. "Just take me home," she paused. "Please."

"We…Gab, let's talk," Troy said, feeling extremely uneasy. He didn't know what to say or do; he was counting on a total different reaction from Gabriella's part. "I bought you cereal and-."

"I don't… want to talk to you. Not now. Take me home."

Troy stared at her for a couple of seconds, studying her tense stance and the curtain of hair shielding her face. He sighed and nodded. "Alright," he mumbled; he guessed he deserved that.

After he took Gabriella's clothes from the hamper and handed them to her, he waited for her to get changed before they both walked out of the apartment and got into Troy's car. The night before, right after they got to Troy's apartment, Gabriella hadn't been able to hold it in any longer and had puked all over herself; Troy just wouldn't let her sleep in her own vomit, so he dressed her into one of his old T-shirts and a pair of Wildcat sweatpants that had been a little too small for him –he had to buy a new pair afterwards –and put her clothes into one of the washing machines that the building had at the basement.

The ride to Gabriella's apartment was extremely silent. Gabriella had her arms crossed as she stared out the window, watching the houses blur past them as a way to keep herself from turning to look at her love –which wasn't exactly an easy task. She had this sort of magnetic urge to pose her eyes on his face; after all, she hadn't seen him in months and all she wanted to do was find all the small different details that had appeared in his features since the last time they were together.

She bit her lower lip as she tried to keep herself from wondering if the skin in his arms felt the same or how it would feel to run her fingers through his now short hair. Her stomach went into knots as she remembered the last kiss they shared; no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't fight the want to press her lips to his. She couldn't even think of more important things like: why she had woken up in his clothes and not hers, or where her stuff was, or what had happened to her friend Amy.

No matter how mad she was, she still had missed him so much and he's all she could really think about.

Troy was in no different place than hers, except for the fact that he could control his emotions a little better. It was probably because he was afraid that if he gave in to his urges and dared to steal a kiss, she would probably slap the shit out of him. He wanted to give her the space she needed. She hadn't even asked why she had woken up in his clothes, or where her purse and her phone were, or the reason why he had taken her over to his apartment and not to hers. He didn't want to push her into anything she didn't want to do; and it was more than obvious that she was determined to not talk to him at all.

He couldn't help but grimace at the thought. He had never seen her so angry before, not even when they got into their first fight and definitely not even when he gave her the heart-locket back.

When they finally arrived to Gabriella's building, the brunette didn't think twice before she immediately took her seatbelt off and stepped out of the car without saying a word to him. The longer she stayed in there, the harder it would get to not give in to her heart's wishes.

Troy watched her walk over to the building's main door, debating with himself whether to follow her or stay in the car. He had to know if he would still be able to get a chance –no matter the reason, he had still broken his promise and he had still screwed up.

Before he knew it, he was slamming the door of his car shut and rushing after Gabriella as she rang the doorbell to her apartment.

"_Gabriella?_" Tom's panicked voice sounded through the speaker, making the brunette sigh.

"Yeah, it's me Tom," she answered quietly, unaware that Troy was already standing right behind her.

"_Oh God, thank you!_" he let out a shaky breath. "_I hope you know you're in a lot of trouble, dork! Do you have any idea of how worried I have been?"_ he exclaimed. "_I was this close from calling the police! Where, the fuck, have you been?"_

Gabriella couldn't help but roll her eyes. "It's a long story; just open the door, will ya?"

"_Damn right I'll open the door,"_ he growled. A sudden buzzing sound came from the door and Gabriella pushed it open. "_Get your ass up here!"_

"Yes, Master," she replied sarcastically and stepped into the building. As she let go of the door and walked down the hallway, she waited to hear it slam shut behind her; when she didn't, she frowned and turned around to see if it had gotten stuck with something. Her eyes went slightly wide when she saw Troy stepping into the building as well, her heart hammering loudly against her chest.

Troy stared wordlessly at her as he made his way towards her, never taking his eyes off of hers. "I know you don't want to talk to me," he started off once he was standing right in front of her. "You've got every right, I know I screwed up," he said, his voice serious and impassive just like it has always been, his eyes strong and dominant. "But… I just have to know if I'm not too late."

Gabriella remained quiet for a moment, the look in his eyes making it hard for her to keep it together. _Those eyes_. Those eyes had always been her doom, and at that moment, instead of making her weak on the knees, they annoyed her profusely. She shook her head.

"You just can't do that," she said with a disgruntled tone in her voice. "You just can't walk out of my life and then suddenly appear ten months later without a warning, play the knight in shining armor, and then expect me to forgive you!" she shook her head.

"Gab, I never walked out of your life, I was always-," Troy started to say, but the brunette cut him off.

"No, of course you didn't! You just broke your promise and left me to think that you didn't love me enough to endure the distance!" she said, the look in her eyes making Troy's stomach twist sickly.

"That I didn't…love you enough?" he frowned. "Gabriella, I came to L.A just to find you! I applied to every fucking school that was in Los Angeles just to get a chance to be near you! I trusted you with my biggest secret even when I was terrified and I had to let go of you so you would get a chance to get better! How is that 'not loving you enough'?" he asked. "And don't you think that I didn't want to call you? Every fucking day I had to fight the urge to pick up the phone and dial your number! Do you know why that is? Because I know you enough to know that you would only hurt more! Ever thought of how would you feel after hanging up? How much more we would miss each other after that?"

"Of course I did!" Gabriella immediately countered. "After a few months, of course I did! I actually did understand why you hadn't called or why you hadn't even texted! But I wasn't exactly in a stable state of mind, Troy! I needed you! I needed to at least hear your voice, to make sure you were there like you said you would!" she exclaimed, tears beginning to well up in her eyes again. "You don't know how many times I cried myself to sleep, hoping for you to finally call! You don't know how hopeless I felt without knowing anything from my best friend! You have no idea how bad my heart broke when I thought you hadn't meant everything you said, because, to be honest, there was a moment where I actually doubted that you loved me!" she confessed. "You put me through hell, Troy! No matter how stupid and selfish that promise was, you still broke it! And it hurt to the point where I wanted to forget you!"

Troy looked at her taken aback, a pained look flashing across his eyes as the brunette finally let out the first couple of tears.

"But I couldn't," she continued. "No matter how hard I tried, you were still there! No matter how much I hated you and wanted to go back to Albuquerque just to kick you where it hurts the most, I couldn't get you off my mind! I was tired of making up excuses for you… but, at one point, there was one that actually made sense because I know how your twisted head works!" she sniffled, wiping away one of her tears. "You've always been the smartest out of the both of us, Troy. It took you less time to realize that it was stupid to try to keep a long-distance relationship," she paused. "But that doesn't mean that it was okay to just…leave me there."

"Gab-."

"I just…" she shook her head, trying to find the words. "I just wanted to know if you were okay. I just wanted to know from you," she crossed her arms. "There were days where I just wanted to tell you how suck-y my day had been and hear you complain about yours. I wanted to know how you were doing in school and how you were feeling about being friends with Chad again. I wanted…I wanted _you_ to tell me that you got a basketball scholarship, not Chad, and then be able to tell you how proud I felt and how happy I was for you," her voice quivered. "I…I even hate that you didn't call to tell me you got a haircut!"

Troy sighed and stared at Gabriella with a mix of guilt and sympathy. He didn't know what to say or how to react to that. He wanted to hug her, but he wasn't sure how she would react. No matter how much he claimed to know her, that girl had proved that she could be unpredictable.

"Gabriella," he took a small step forward, making the brunette look up into his eyes. Hesitantly, he lifted a hand up and placed it on her cheek, wiping away her tears. "I…I honestly don't know what to say…," he shook his head softly. "Except for the fact that I love you more than anything and… that I'm sorry that I made you doubt that. That was never my intention, I was just doing what I thought was right and would hurt us both less," he murmured. "You're my everything, Gabriella. It sounds corny and stupid, but that's how I feel. I've missed you every day, I've thought of you every second of the day and… with or without the scholarship, I would have still come to search for you because I don't want my life to be without you," he said, rubbing his thumb across her moist cheek. "So hate me, yell at me, kick me, punch me, slap me, do whatever you want… but… please… just tell me I'm not too late."

"Troy," Gabriella sighed, shaking her head and sniffling. She took his wrist and pulled it away from her face. "You still don't get it, do you? It's you and me, no matter what stupid thing you do. I'm never going to give you the easy way out. Never. We're going to fix this because that's what couples do, they fix things. It's not going to be easy; I'm _not _going to make it easy for you, because even though you know I'll always be yours, this time you've got to earn me," she sniffled. "And that means flowers and stupid chocolates and taking me to movies and writing corny texts, even though I know you hate them, and bring me chocolate ice-cream when I have cramps and buy me books and… other stuff to make up for all those calls I didn't get, alright? And that's just for starters."

Troy blinked at her for a moment before arching an amused eyebrow. "That's it?" he asked and Gabriella immediately shot daggers at him, telling him that it wasn't a good idea to joke at that moment. Troy let out quiet relieved chuckle and nodded. "Yes, Cupcake."

She sniffled. "Good," she nodded. "Now hug me because I missed you."

Troy nodded again and, without another word, he wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her up against him. Gabriella wrapped her arms around his shoulders and let out a shaky breath against his neck, not knowing how she had managed to endure so long without hugging him. Troy let out a breath and somehow felt lighter, like if a burden was lifted off his shoulders. With her there… he felt like he was home.

He couldn't believe how one person could make him feel that way; he always thought it was impossible and that people simply exaggerated when they said that they had met the love of their life and that they felt incomplete every time they drifted apart. He had always hated that kind of corny crap, but, even though he would never admit it out loud, he finally understood what those people meant.

He had learned to live thanks to her, he had learned to live without her; but he could never imagine what it would be like if he continued living that way. That thing he felt like he had missing all those months ago, he found it.

The reunited couple didn't know how long they stayed embraced, they didn't even care; they were too comfortable wrapped up in their own little private bubble to even remember that Gabriella was supposed to be up in her apartment by then… or to even notice that a certain 28 year old brown eyed guy had walked down the stairs in search for his sister and was staring at them with a very perplexed look on his face, wondering what the hell was going on. Well, that until he cleared his throat and made the two teens pull apart.

Gabriella and Troy stared at Tom with a surprised look on their faces and Tom stared back at the two even more perplexed as he recognized Troy. For some reason, Troy had a strange feeling of déjà vu as he saw Tom cross his arms; after all, the guy always had a knack for interrupting.

"I'm honestly afraid to ask," Tom said.

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><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

**I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW! I'M SO DAMN SORRY, PLEASE FORGIVE ME AND DON'T KILL ME AND ASDFGHJKLÑLKJHGFDS!**

**I had to re-write some parts of this chapter, cuz… I simply didn't like them and… well, I still despise some parts. It actually didn't turn out the way I wanted, but, I was just too tired to change things all over again. (Stupid writer's block.)**

**Well, I think I broke my record! 14, 000 words! \o/ (I need serious help.)**

**Anyway! I'm so sorry for the wait, again! I thought that I had a little more vacation time than what I actually had, and I miscalculated my time. I actually started school last week, but it was only like an introduction week: they gave us a tour around the faculty and took us to the farms and stuff and made us a lot of tests. (Got two vaccines. Those fuckers ¬.¬) and yesterday was my official first day as a college girl! :D**

**I'm so happy and excited! I'm going to be a veterinarian! **

**Anyway, this was the final chapter. I hope to have the Epilogue done throughout this week since we're barely starting classes and it's still all "Let me introduce myself and why I decided to study Veterinary." xD **

**I really hope you have enjoyed the chapter and if you didn't, well, tell me why :) I like constructive comments. (That's why it's called a review! xD) **

**Oh man… I want to cry. After two years of writing this, I can't believe that I'm only one chapter away from it being over. But well, I won't get sentimental until the Epilogue. xD **

**Sorry for Grammar and Spelling mistakes!**

**Please don't forget to leave a review behind!**

**I love you all and thanks for reading, you guys are amazing!**

**Lots of love,**

**Mary. **

**P.S: follow me on twitter if you want and want to find out more about my drama, at btzzmary. (I follow back; just remind me to follow you.) **

**P.S.2: I'm off to bed now xD have to get up early tomorrow! :D Happy Tuesday! **


	28. Epilogue

I'm holding on for you

_Epilogue _

**Well, you guys may cry now. I certainly am… and I haven't even started writing yet xD**

**Please Read, Enjoy and **_**Review**_**! **

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><p>Annie smiled happily as she opened the front door of her new restaurant, <em>Annie's Place<em>, early that morning; her 1 year old daughter, Alexandra, on her hip and her other two whinny kids by her side.

Her husband, Lucas, was at the store getting the decorations for the New Year's Eve party that would take place at the restaurant that night. Even though he was dying to get some rest, he was always happy to help his wife when she needed it; after all, after spending so many hours at the hospital, he really didn't have the time to help her at all.

Even though the party wouldn't start until 9:00 PM, she still had costumers to serve, so as soon as her kitchen staff got there, she got herself to work.

Annie had opened her restaurant a couple of weeks after Troy left for college; she wanted to surprise him when he came back home for Christmas. She had hired both Isabelle and Nicole as waitresses since both of them had a little trouble finding permanent jobs –the two friends usually got fired after a week. Annie couldn't really understand why though; they were hard working, clean, disciplined… and yes, a little clumsy and childish, but it was a little common for a pair of 24 year olds who hadn't finished college and thought that Donald Duck and Daisy were a cute couple.

Troy had been so happy for his cook when she made him drive her to the restaurant. At first he was a little confused as to why they had parked in front of the small place, but as soon as he saw the name of the restaurant, written in fancy cursive letter on the red-wine-colored awning, his eyes had gone wide with both surprise and happiness, and he had hugged Annie so tight that it had caught her off guard; after all, it was an action that was really out of character of him. She was happy that she wasn't hormone-crazed anymore or she would have surely cried with that hug.

He had been a little off that week since Gabriella had stayed behind to spend Christmas with Tom and her father –who had been released one month after Troy and Gabriella had gotten back together. Troy was happy that Greg Montez was finally out of the Psychiatric Hospital and back to his normal life, and that he would finally get to spend a normal Christmas with his children after a year and a half; but, as selfish as it sounded, that didn't make him miss Gabriella any less. After being apart for 10 months, all he wanted to do was to make up for all the time lost.

Gabriella wasn't in a much different position than , she was ecstatic that she would spend Christmas with her father, but she also wanted to spend it with Troy; so instead of just whining about it, she decided to make a deal with her boyfriend. They would each spend Christmas with their own families, seeing that her father had barely gotten out of the hospital and wanted a little normality, and they would spend New Year's together in Albuquerque –which wasn't that much of an important holiday. Gregory was fine with it; not completely, but he trusted his daughter and he knew that she was mature enough to make her own decisions. Tom was a little more hesitant about it, but seeing that his father wasn't going to oppose to the idea and that Gabriella had actually spent a couple of nights at Troy's and Chad's apartment, he had no other option but to yield. After all, he kind of trusted Troy and knew that he would take care of his little sister.

After the long trip from L.A to Albuquerque, Troy and Gabriella decided to take a nap, Troy being the one to need it the most since he took a three day trip just to pick his girlfriend up. They got to Albuquerque around 4:00PM, and after eating a small lunch, which consisted of PB&J sandwiches and orange juice, they got up to Troy's room in the attic to take their well deserved nap.

Gabriella fell in love with Troy's ingenious room, mostly because it was…well, an attic, and also because it was cozier than his old room at his old house. What she loved the most was the picture of them sitting on his bedside table. She remembered taking it with his iPhone one Friday after school in Troy's room after Gabriella finished doing her homework and they didn't know what to do; he had that usual grumpy and bitter face –clearly annoyed with Gabriella's insistence of taking a picture– while she was smiling childishly at the camera. Months later, Troy had grown to love that picture, basically because it described perfectly how they operated. He had wanted to punch himself when he forgot to pack it for L.A. Luckily he still had it in his phone –not that he would ever erase it –so all he had to do was print it out again.

To say that Gabriella was shocked when Troy told her that Jack kicked him out would be an understatement. Not in a million years Gabriella would have imagined that Jack would get the guts to kick his son out of his house. Sure, the brunette was pissed, she wanted nothing but to go back in time so she could be there and… inflict some kind of damage to the man; but at the same time… she was glad because Troy seemed happier now that he had his home with Annie and her family –his face would oddly light up when he would complain about her noisy kids running around the house while he would try to study or do his homework. He despised it, but at the same time it made him feel like he had a normal family, with annoying little siblings who he couldn't stand but somehow managed to grow on him. Again, not that he would ever admit it out loud.

And yes, Gabriella was also utterly shocked when Chad testified that Troy had actually studied and done his homework. She was… bewildered at how much Troy had changed ever since the morning they met. He was still the same ole bitter, grumpy guy that got annoyed by everyone and everything but… he was… warmer as a person; he could even be childish in certain situations. He was way more open, he spoke up his mind when he felt he needed to and he wasn't that afraid to admit his feelings to Gabriella anymore. It was amazing how he had managed to finally break free from his walls.

It was around 8:00PM when Troy and Gabriella finally woke up from their nap. They were supposed to be at Annie's by that time, so they were running a little late and Annie was surely going to be pissed at them –well, pissed at Troy since he was the one who promised that they'd be there to help her finish the last details for the party.

Troy still didn't understand why she wanted to have such a big New Year's Eve party, Annie had never been one to make a big deal about anything before; she even invited their neighbors and, well, she wasn't exactly very fond of them, and honestly, neither was Troy. What he despised the most about them was the couple of 14 year olds twin-girls that they had; they were way too giggly, whinny, conceited and they had this horrible high-pitched nasal voice that would make Troy cringe every time they said 'hi' to him. Apparently they also had some sort of childish crush on the 19 year old, so he would pretty much see them every time he exited the house to get to school or basketball practice; he had definitely not missed them on his time away at UCLA.

All he could muster out of Annie's reason for inviting the whole neighborhood was that perhaps she was doing it to advertise her restaurant, not that she didn't have any customers; she just didn't have enough. But well, she was barely starting; she needed to be patient and wait for the word to spread around.

"I'm having a weird feeling of Déjà Vu, aren't you?" Gabriella asked as she placed a flower vase with daisies on top of the table as Troy placed the silverware on top of the napkins, referring to the time where they planned the Spring Ball of their Junior year of high school.

Troy looked up at her with a tired and annoyed look on his face. Gabriella smiled at him. "How the hell are you not tired?" he questioned grumpily.

"Well, I wasn't the one who drove three days in a row," she shrugged and then giggled at Troy's narrowing eyes.

"Funny," he grumbled. "You haven't thanked me, by the way."

"Hey, you offered, Cinnamon Roll," Gabriella raised her hands up in defense. "I didn't ask you to do it. I suggested an airplane."

"Yeah and who was going to pay for the plane tickets?" he asked as he rolled his eyes, placing a fork down on top of a white napkin.

"You, of course," she smiled sweetly at him and Troy gave her a look.

"Sure," he nodded sarcastically. "Because I have the money," he retorted and then let out a small yawn.

The brunette continued to smile at him as she walked around the table. She placed a hand on his arm and slid it up underneath his sleeve, caressing his shoulder. Troy turned to look at her; he loved when she did that.

"Yeah, sometimes I forget that you're not rich anymore," she said jokingly and then giggled at Troy's narrowing eyes. "Oh, but I believe you have that big bank account with about a million dollars in there," she nodded with a smirk.

"First of all, I was never rich, Cupcake," he countered. "And second of all, that money in my bank account is for emergencies only and I don't have a million dollars in it."

"Sure you don't," she nodded sarcastically and Troy rolled his eyes, placing a hand on her hip and pulling her softly to his side.

"Stop teasing me," he asked monotonously, rubbing her hip softly with his thumb as he finished accommodating the last piece of silverware.

"Stop being so bitter," she replied with a shrug and then smiled at him when he turned to look at her with a meaningful look. "Psht! Don't give me that 'I'm-such-a-badass-you-better-do-what-I-say-uh-I'm -such-a-grump' look; when have I ever done something you've said?" she arched an eyebrow with a small chuckle.

"Funny," he mumbled with a soft smile and then leaned down to give her a loving peck on the lips. Gabriella smiled up at him. "Do you want me to make a list?" he arched an eyebrow and then chuckled at Gabriella's sudden snort.

"You wished," she smirked, running her fingers through his hair.

"Aw, how cute," Annie's teasing voice made the couple pull apart and turn to look at her. "Are you guys done with the tables?" the cook asked, accommodating Alexandra on her hip. Troy and Gabriella nodded. "Good, then everything's done. We just have to wait for everyone to get here," she smiled. "Thanks for helping out, guys."

"Always glad to help, Annie," Gabriella replied with a soft smile.

"Yeah, I'm going to the bathroom," Troy said monotonously and let out a small yawn. He leaned down and pressed a kiss on Gabriella's temple before walking off. Gabriella shook her head after him and crossed her arms, turning to look back at Annie.

"I know he liked helping too," Gabriella spoke up for her boyfriend.

Annie chuckled. "We both know that's not true."

After Troy finished doing his business, he washed his hands and splashed some water on his face, trying to get rid of some of his sleep. He dried his face with a paper towel and looked up at the boy in the mirror.

He didn't look that boring or pathetic as he used to when he was 17. He looked…different –happier. He never would have thought that that would be possible, but then again he never thought that he would ever meet someone like Gabriella.

Up until that day he still couldn't comprehend how or why she had come into his life, why she made him smile, dance, laugh, cry…and trust. He was so convinced that his future only consisted of…loneliness and…suddenly, she was there, like a lost miracle that had taken the wrong way to its original purpose.

He couldn't help but feel glad about that; that's how selfish he had become when it came to her.

Troy sighed and stepped out of the bathroom and made his way back to the tables. Gabriella, who was already sitting at one of the tables, smiled up at him as he walked over to join her. She patted the seat next to her and Troy sat down, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Everything went well?" the brunette asked with a teasing smile. "You took too long in there; I thought you might've gotten stuck in the toilet."

Troy rolled his eyes but chuckled. "I was only in there for like two minutes, Cupcake."

"No, you were in there for like five, Cinnamon Roll," she grinned. "I thought you were pooping."

Troy chuckled and shook his head, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Silly," he mumbled against her skin.

"Stupid," she replied with a smile and looked up.

Gabriella felt her cheeks go slightly red as their eyes locked and Troy grinned down at her, the beating of his heart picking up its pace slightly. He leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips.

Suddenly a flash flew off and a familiar fake camera sound was heard. Both Troy and Gabriella knew whose phone was that and exactly who had taken the picture. They pulled away and turned to look at Annie, Nicole and Isabelle, who were standing behind the bar. The two waitresses quickly ducked down to hide and Annie hid her cell phone behind her back.

"Oops?" she smiled innocently at the teens and Troy glared at her.

"You have got to stop doing that!" he growled as Gabriella looked away, blushing.

**THE END.**

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><p><strong>Well, this is it, you guys.<strong>

**Sorry that I took too long. (College, homework, tests and my laptop got screwed up.)**

**Believe me that I'm crying right now. How can I not? After spending two years writing this story, it's going to be weird not writing it anymore, I'm gonna miss it.**

**I struggled with it, it made me laugh, cry, get angry cuz I didn't know how to continue…**

**I loved it. **

**I believe it is a good time to finish this story; I'm closing a cycle as I start a new one now with college. **

**I grew with this story. I started it when my characters and I were 17 and finished it when we were 19 (totally not planned.) **

**It may have its flaws, but this is…I dunno, a special story for me.**

**I hope you have enjoyed the ride along with me. I hope you have also laughed, cried, smiled, cursed and wanted to kill me at some point. I hope that with this story you have learned that it's okay to let people in, especially the people you least expect; that even though everything seems to be going wrong, there will be always someone there to make it a little bit better; that life has a lot of ups and downs and when things go from bad to worse that we shouldn't just break down into tears, that it's okay to keep the faith and keep moving forward. If you haven't gotten your happy ending is because it's not the end yet. **

**I want to dedicate this story to all of you, of course, because you guys are the reason why I want to keep writing; to my parents of course, my brother who's all like "whoa! Write a book, bitch, make us rich!", my best friend Juan, who always listens to me whine about how I can't get rid of my writer's block, to my friend Beca, who makes me laugh like no other and was also a big help with my writer's block, to my fave reader **_**xmindset**_**, to Cory Monteith R.I.P , and of course, to the person who was the original Troy Bolton –Zac (who I'll always support no matter what, my baby.) **

**What will I do from now on? Concentrate on my studies and my novel. I'm gonna write a few one-shots (maybe IHOFY one-shots?) and perhaps five-shots, depending on my time (I've still got many ideas.) I'm gonna take a small break of course (from writing), and a break from long stories. But don't worry, you'll hear from me ;) **

**I'D LOVE IT IF YOU could o write a review telling me what you loved, liked, disliked about the story, it doesn't matter if you haven't written one at all before, I just want to know what you guys really thought about it. You think you could do that for me? **

**Well…**

**That's about it.**

**Sorry for Grammar and Spelling mistakes.**

**Thank you guys. **

**You can follow me on twitter to know what I'm up to: btzzmary (I follow back, just remind me to.)**

**I LOVE YOU.**

**Lots of love,**

**Mary. **


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